Crowne Plaza Hosts Great New Year’s Eve
By K.J. WEBB
Contributing Writer
NEW YEAR’S BAND: The Mid Life Crises Band will entertain during the Crowne Plaza New Year’s Gala. Another Tulsa band, Imzadi, will also perform at the hotel, which offers a New Year’s Eve that is “an evening and event to remember,” according to the hotel’s general manager, Marlin Keranen.
Courtesy JIM SKUNKARD
The Festival of Lights is well underway. Menorahs all over town have been lit since late November; and Christmas is nearly here. This time of year is a time of joy, peace, family, sharing, and of course, presents. And, to add to the mix, there are the parties and all sorts of seasonal activities to get in the spirit of things.
Downtown Tulsa offers all sorts of holiday fun that continues into January. In fact, one of the biggest, most festive and memorable holiday events after Christmas is Crowne Plaza’s 2010 Annual New Year’s Gala. Marlin Keranen, general manager of the Crowne Plaza says, “Our New Year’s Eve Gala is one of our most, if not the most, popular events we offer. We go all out to provide our guests a sensational evening.” He adds, “This party is poised to be the New Year’s Eve party of all parties, and certainly one of the premier parties to attend this year.”
Keranen describes the event as “party, party, party and more party.”
With a description like this, Dec. 31, 2009 at Crowne Plaza is set to be the holiday bash of all bashes. Guests will be happy to learn that they can get an early start in ringing in the New Year with early check-in starting at 11 a.m. This leaves time to enjoy a leisurely lunch at the Daily Grill, or en-suite, and relax for a bit. Festivities begin in the Upper Lobby in the afternoon with the Texas Hold’Em Tournament starting at 4 p.m. and going until 7 p.m. The Cigar and Martini Lounge in the Oklahoma Ballroom offers a place for cigar aficionados to relax and enjoy a drink, good conversation and holiday cheer.
The evening’s liveliness really gets underway with the featured entertainment, two of Tulsa’s most popular bands, Imzadi and The Fabulous Mid Life Crisis Band. Imzadi, a fixture on the Tulsa music scene for the past 11 years, offers a wide variety of dance music and rock, and will keep your dancing feet moving in the Tulsa Ballroom until the wee hours of the morning. The Fabulous Mid Life Crisis Band, a Tulsa favorite since 1995, will keep things rockin’ and ‘rollin’ until the early hours with classic rock in the Promenade Ballroom. And, guests can memorialize their glittering and festive evening with photos by John Southern Photography in the Lower Lobby.
With so much partying and entertainment, it’s no surprise that the ticket packages to the Crowne Plaza Annual New Year’s Eve Gala go quickly. Keranen says, “I always advise people to take advantage of our pre-sale. We have such a demand that we started the pre-sale on Nov. 9 this year. There are still some deluxe packages for couples available for $219.” This price includes deluxe accommodations per couple, overnight self-parking, 2 p.m. late checkout, a complimentary breakfast buffet (one of the best in town), a variety of party favors and a midnight champagne toast to ring in 2010.
With New Year’s Eve taken care of, you can turn attention to the variety of events and things to do downtown in January. The Tulsa Performing Arts Center () opens the year with music and humor with “Legally Blond the Musical” which runs from Jan. 5-10 in The Chapman Music Hall. Based on the hysterical comedy starring Reese Witherspoon, Magazine describes the musical as “an Elle of a show!” With plenty of song and dance, the story follows sorority star Elle Woods, an underestimated blonde who doesn’t take “no” for an answer. Dumped by her preppy boyfriend for someone who is more “suitable” for his future plans as a Harvard Law graduate, Elle moves to Cambridge from L.A., and enrolls in Harvard Law herself. In the end she learns the value of being true to oneself.
On Jan. 16, also in The Chapman Music Hall, the Tulsa Symphony, with guest conductor Jose-Luis Novo, will perform a program that includes Haydn, Symphony No. 104, and “London” Britten, “Four Sea Interludes” from Peter Grimes.
Of course, there are always wonderful plays to enjoy at the . January is no exception. Grown-ups and children alike will enjoy “The Hobbit,” playing Jan. 22 and 23 in the John H. Williams Theater. Presented by Theatre Sans Fils (Theatre Without Strings), the life-size puppet production of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic story about Bilbo Baggins, the Hobbit, and his adventure with dwarves, elves, a dragon and a wizard is sure to charm and enchant the audience.
The Center brings the Harlem Globetrotters to town on Jan. 23 as part of the Globetrotter’s 2010 “Magical Memories” World Tour. Flight Time Lang and Big Easy Lofton, who recently competed in the Emmy Award-winning reality hit, “The Amazing Race,” will reunite with their world famous teammates in Tulsa, and sure to provide an evening of fun and entertainment.
Meantime, ongoing downtown this holiday season on Third Street, between Denver and Frisco Avenues, is Arvest Winterfest, an event for the whole family. The month-long festival includes everything from outdoor ice skating to delicious food, horse and carriage rides, live entertainment, and Oklahoma’s tallest Christmas tree!
“Downtown Tulsa offers such a variety of things to enjoy,” says Keranen. “Our Annual New Year’s Eve Gala at the Crowne Plaza is a wonderful way to close out 2009 and ring in 2010, and all of the wonderful things going on in this wonderful and historic part of Tulsa,” says Keranen. “It will be an evening and event to remember!”
For more information and tickets to Crowne Plaza’s Annual New Year’s Eve Gala, please call (918) 560-2218.
Updated 12-17-2009
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