CTA to Offer Penny Rides for New Year's Eve; Chicago Event Ideas

Chicago - Once again the CTA will be offering penny rides on all trains and buses the night of New Year’s Eve.

Penny rides will start at 8 p.m. and end at 6 a.m. on Saturday.

Several bus and train routes will also have later service hours to accommodate for the holiday and offer a safe option for travelers.

If you’re still looking for some ideas for how to celebrate New Year's Eve, one of the best places to ring in the New Year will be the North State Street outpost Pops for Champagne. It's offering a light menu until 8:30 p.m., with the Jason Ellis Quartet on deck to play from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

If you're looking for a bit of music -- and emo-punk at that -- you might want to head down to Reggie's Rock Club on South State Street and catch the Smoking Popes.

For a campy way to bring in the New Year, there's the film being screened at the Music Box Theatre on Southport. Chicago personality Richard Knight, performing as his Dick O'Day sleazy lounge host character, will emcee a screening of The Poseidon Adventure, the water-logged film about an ocean liner sinking on New Year's Eve.

A much more traditional way to greet 2011 will be at Navy Pier to check out the annual fireworks display.

There will be two shows. One is at 8:30 p.m. for those not wanting to wait until midnight, plus a second fireworks extravaganza carefully scheduled to start at exactly 11:59 p.m.

(source:myfoxchicago.com)