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However, you plan to ring in the New Year, you’ll find plenty of choices at different venues within the Ak-Chin Indian Community.
Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino offers a $200,000 home giveaway during its 11:30 p.m. drawing on New Year’s Eve. Bingo is another great celebration to take part in on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. To add to the festive atmosphere, the band, Mother Mercy, plays party favorites from the 70s, 80s and more on The Lounge stage on New Year’s Eve, Saturday, December 31, with shows at 8 p.m., 10 p.m. and midnight.

Bring your appetite – The Buffet at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino serves up a New Year’s Eve spread with lobster tails, carved beef tenderloin and many other favorites for $49.99 per person and $35.99 for kids. The New Year’s Eve buffet will be served from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Support a local cause and ring in the New Year at the New Year’s Eve Ball Fundraiser at Elements Event Center at Ak-Chin Circle. This year’s theme is “Casino Royale,” which will feature casino games played with “funny” money, hearty appetizers, a complimentary New Year’s Eve champagne toast and live entertainment. City of Maricopa Mayor Christian Price will emcee the night. All funds raised benefit the F.O.R. Food Bank in Maricopa, which feeds more than 100,000 people annually. Tickets are $75 per person or $140 per couple, from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. on New Year’s Eve. Tickets can be purchased online. Ages 21 and over only are invited. For information, contact the Elements Event Center at 520-233-2431. Attire is formal.

For another delicious meal option, the Arroyo Grille at Southern Dunes Golf Club hosts a three-course New Year’s Eve dinner for $49 per person plus tax and gratuity. The menu includes lobster bisque or house salad with choice of dressing. Entree choices are filet Oscar, sablefish “martini,” or sea scallops. Save room for a scrumptious dessert, chocolate mille-feuille or Irish crème bread pudding. This is undeniably a fabulous place to celebrate the New Year and indulge in a gourmet meal by Chef Magbanua. Reservations required; call 520-426-6832.

For family style festivities, look no further than Ten Pins Down, the top-notch bowling alley at the UltraStar Multi-tainment Center at Ak-Chin Circle. The bowling alley hosts a festive balloon drop at 10:30 p.m. to kick off New Year’s Eve fun. Winter Wonderland, complete with an outdoor ice rink and fire pits, will also be ready for all on New Year’s Eve.

Guests 21 and older can head upstairs to the Luxe Lounge, where the party starts at 10 p.m., complete with the DJ “Jade” spinning tunes, free noisemakers and party favors, and a midnight champagne toast.
You don’t want to miss these New Year’s Eve celebrations, here’s to a happy and healthy 2017!
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Carolyn SostromCarolyn Sostrom is a long-time Arizona resident who loves desert sunsets, warm weather, Zumba, and the Western lifestyle. She attended Saguaro High School in Scottsdale and then Arizona State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Similarly to the protagonist in *The Devil Wears Prada*, Carolyn moved to New York City right after college. She started working for the fashion magazine company Conde Nast but never transitioned to the dark side. After a few years, she left New York in the rearview mirror and returned to her home state, taking a reporter job at the *Apache Junction Independent*. With over 30 years of freelance writing experience, Carolyn especially enjoys writing about community events and profiling individuals who are making a difference in their communities. She had the pleasure of interviewing a variety of cowboy personalities for an article she wrote for the *Scottsdale Independent* about the history of DC Ranch and its roots as a working ranch. Now, her Western adventures with CLN have her diving into the rugged automotive scene, exploring the trucks and rigs cowboys rely on for work, home, and play, a niche where grit meets horsepower. She works at Raising Special Kids, a nonprofit resource center for families of children with disabilities and special healthcare needs. Carolyn also volunteers with the Autism Society of Greater Phoenix. Carolyn believes that everyone has a story, and she loves connecting with others to hear their stories. She’s dedicated to ethical journalism and accurate reporting, which shines through in her storytelling.