DELTA COUNTY, Mich. (WZMQ) – While many businesses close up shop for the holidays, New Year’s Eve is one of the busiest days of the year for most bars.
That is very much the case for South City Pub in Escanaba.
“Since we’re open till 4 a.m., this is probably our biggest night,” said owner Kaylah Berube.
The pub is celebrating the new year with a black light party and, of course, a festive drink menu.
“We are doing champagne by the glass or the bottle,” Berube said. “We have shot specials, drink specials. We have a specialty champagne cosmo for the night, a DJ, dancing, just a bunch of fun!”
Over the years, South City has become a hot spot for New Year’s Eve celebrations. Berube said this year should be no exception.
“We try to bring a fun atmosphere to Escanaba,” she said. “We have a great staff, a great time. I think we just bring out the fun.”
In Gladstone, the newest place to grab a drink is the Midd Bar & Lounge, which opened in May.
“We’re getting busier and busier,” owner Jami Boursaw said. “People are finally finding out about us—lots of new faces. We’re usually the only bar open til 2 a.m. We have our lounge seating, entertainment every weekend. We have a DJ or karaoke. We have a lot of themed parties.”
On New Year’s Eve, the bar is open until 4 a.m. Boursaw expects it to be at capacity.
“We have a choice of DJ tonight or karaoke, so you can request songs or sing if you want,” she said. “[It’s a] large area, lots of seating. Booths for special parties or groups. We are going to have two specialty drinks—the popular French 75 and the champagne punch.”
South City is looking forward to celebrating the start of another year with its loyal patrons.
“I want everybody to enjoy themselves, have a good time, be ready to bring in a new year,” said Berube. “We’re always trying to have a good time here.”
For the Midd Bar & Lounge, New Year’s Eve is a chance to thank its growing community for a great new beginning.
“It feels good,” Boursaw said. “We started off, no one knew about us. Business has gotten a lot better. We’re very busy all nights. Thank you to all our customers, all our regulars that come in every day, and we hope to have a better 2026.”
Patrons can keep up with other events and specials at South City Pub and Midd Bar & Lounge by following the businesses on Facebook.
