Bubbling over

FREE Big Chicks New Year’s Eve Big Chicks, 5024 N Sheridan Rd (773-728-5511). El: Red to Argyle. Bus: 92, 151. 9pm. No cover, no frills, no worries. Big Chicks rings in the new year in the only way it knows how, with lots of cocktails and cuties sweating, dancing and drinking into the next decade.

* Big Freedia & The Divas + Nobunny Empty Bottle, 1035 N Western Ave (773-276-3600). Bus: 49, 70. 10pm, $25. This year may not offer up thrilling big-name options for NYE blasts, but outrageous live acts abound. No bill toots our noisemakers more than this inspired pairing of the raunchy, gay booty-bounce of Big Freedia and Nobunny, a gonzo garage-rock kook in rabbit mask and tighty-not-so-whities.

* Cosmix New Year’s Eve Berlin, 954 W Belmont Ave (773-348-4975). El: Red, Brown, Purple (rush hrs) to Belmont. Bus: 22, 77. 9pm, $10. We usually don’t hit up Berlin until well after midnight, but we’re willing to make an exception for the NYE rendition of DJ Greg Haus’s fag-tastic weekly party featuring a live performance by electro trio DAAN.

A Diamond Is Forever Hydrate, 3458 N Halsted St (773-975-9244). El: Red to Addison. Bus: 8, 152. 8pm; $35, in advance $30, VIP $50. Hydrate rings in 2011 with a night of glittery gay goodness featuring host Cyon Flare, a three-hour open bar (8–11pm) and beats until the wee hours courtesy of DJR.

FREE Downtown Lounge New Year’s Eve Downtown Lounge, 440 N State St (312-464-1400). El: Red to Grand. 9pm. Get away from the hustle and muscle of Boystown with a cheap and cheerful night of drink specials, party masks and a midnight Champagne toast.

* Glitter and Glam Gala Kit Kat Lounge, 3700 N Halsted St (773-525-1111). El: Red to Addison. Bus: 8, 36, 152. 5:30pm, $50–$75. Listen up: Kit Kat’s NYE five-course dinner and NYE bash has three different seatings including 6pm ($50), 8pm ($60) and 10pm ($75). Only the latter bash lets you ring in the New Year Kit Kat style, but all offer a multi-course tasting menu, divalicious performances from Traci Ross and Madame X and complimentary Champagne cocktail with dinner.

Havana Nocturne: New Year’s Eve 2011 Spin, 800 W Belmont Ave (773-327-7711). El: Red, Brown, Purple (rush hrs) to Belmont. Bus: 8, 77. 10pm; $15, in advance $10. The island nation of Cuba is anything but off limits at this midcentury throwback soiree. Think a dance floor decked out in tropical flora and fauna, a Copacabana drag revue and lots of pink and gold. A midnight Champagne toast also includes $500 balloon drops.

* FREE Mary’s Big Top Hamburger Mary’s, 5400 N Clark St (773-784-6969). Bus: 22, 52, 92. 9pm. Mary’s has something other NYE parties don’t: three distinct spaces in which to stretch out and play. At Mary’s Big Top (that’s a circus theme, not a sex one), partygoers can nosh in the main dining room, chillax in the rec room and dance in the attic. Ring Mistress Velicity Metropolis hosts.

New Year’s Eve Flashback Fridays Circuit Night Club, 3641 N Halsted St (773-325-2233). El: Red to Addison. Bus: 8, 152. 9pm; $15 advance, $10 advance for members. Circuit keeps its weekly retro theme intact but adds the requisite New Year twists including party favors, a midnight countdown, a cash-filled balloon drop, Champagne toast and money-filled confetti blast.

FREE NYE 2011 Parlour, 6341 N Clark St (773-564-9274). Bus: 22, 155. 8pm. We hate bullshit New Year’s Eve cover charges, so we’re glad that queer bar Parlour is keeping it real and simple with a freebie night of disco, indie and house music with a complimentary Champagne toast at midnight. Erik Roldan spins.

NYE: Welcome 1.1.11 Sidetrack, 3349 N Halsted St (773-477-9189). El: Red, Brown, Purple (rush hrs) to Belmont. Bus: 8, 77, 152. 9pm, $25. Sidetrack doesn’t offer a lot of NYE bells and whistles because it knows that a room full of 1,000 hot men sells itself. The admission benefits Equality Illinois.

Roscoe’s New Year’s Eve Roscoe’s, 3356 N Halsted St (773-281-3355). El: Red, Brown, Purple (rush hrs) to Belmont. Bus: 8, 77, 152. 8pm, $25. Halsted’s gay boy saloon ushers in the new year with appetizers, a $1,000 balloon drop (holy shit!) and midnight Champagne toast. DJ Eddy spins.

FREE Scarlet New Year’s Eve Roscoe’s, 3356 N Halsted St (773-281-3355). El: Red, Brown, Purple (rush hrs) to Belmont. Bus: 8, 77, 152. 9pm. Fill up on $15 bottles of bubbly at this low-frills NYE and watch for an appearance from a sexy Baby New Year.

Women Coming Together: New Year’s Eve 2011 Chicago Gateway Suites, 6501 N Mannheim Rd, Rosemont (847-699-6300). Bus: 223, 250. 6pm; $40 for dance party only; for extended ticket information, visit classceechicago.com. Pack your bags, we’re heading to the ’burbs! Wait, what? Class ‘C’ Entertainment presents a combination movie and dinner event plus a night of dancing for several hundred women of color who love women. The hotel location lends itself to an overnight stay, perfect for the New Year’s Day comedy show.

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