CLEVELAND — While New Year’s Eve parties are bound to look a bit different in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there’s a few time-honored traditions you can count on: a countdown to midnight, plenty of bubbly and a toast to much-needed new beginnings in 2021.
Members of the restaurant group Cleveland Independents are planning a New Year’s Eve on the go—offering up special take-out menus and drinks for a holiday party at home.
With alcohol sales cutting off at 10 p.m. across the state, many establishments are taking advantage of the to-go cocktails courtesy of a measure that was allowed to help the restaurant industry survive the pandemic.
Flight Cleveland has held nearly 40 virtual events since the pandemic first took hold back in March.
"We knew that people would be looking for entertainment and things to do at home and we wanted to provide that,” Lindsay Smith said. "It was one of the things that we initially did right away when the shutdown occurred in March as we took a quick pivot to virtual events.”
Flight is offering a virtual New Year’s Eve Happy Hour featuring four different sparkling wines from around the world.
“I think a lot of people are trying to figure out how to enjoy themselves and how to see friends and how to make things feel festive,” Smith said.
They’re one of several restaurants offering the special New Year’s Eve twist.
“It’s just been a hard holiday season I think for a lot of people,” Smith said. “Despite the fact that we’re not in the same room together, there really is a feeling of experiencing something as a group, which I think we’re all missing right now.”
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