Renting a Space for a New Year's Eve Party in Chicago

New Year's Eve in Chicago is cold, busy and loud in the best way. If your home is too small, a rented room gives you space, a bar and a place to stay inside while it is 10 degrees out. It also adds a new set of questions: how much it costs, what is in the room and what you have to bring. This guide covers the booking side of renting a loft, a restaurant room or a hall. If you are hosting at home, see New Year's Eve at home. For lofts, see Chicago loft party rentals.

Pick the kind of space

Book early, then ask about the money

Many New Year's Eve rooms book up months ahead, since the date is the same for everyone and the room only has one night. Start looking in the fall. Don't assume a room will wait, and ask about a deposit and cancellation terms right away.

Minimum spend. Many restaurant rooms and some bars require a minimum amount on food and drinks, and some halls and lofts have package rules. Ask what it covers, whether tax, service and tip count, and what happens if you spend less. We won't guess at numbers, because they change by place and by year.

Hours. Ask when you can get in, when the music must stop and when you must be out. A midnight party with a 1 am end time leaves little time for pickup the same night.

Cancellation. Ask what happens if a guest list shrinks or a snowstorm hits. See the date-change policy guide.

What the room lacks

Walk the room before you sign, or ask for a list. Most rooms are missing more than you think. Check:

• Seating. Is there enough for everyone, or do you want a mix of seats and standing space? See how many chairs do I need and chairs.
• Tables. Cocktail tables, a buffet, a gift table, a cake or dessert table. See tables.
• Linens. Many venues use their own or none. See linens.
• Coat space. In Chicago winter, coats pile up. See coat racks for winter events.
• Dance floor. A hard floor is fine, but a rented floor helps at a bigger party. See dance floor size by guest count.
• Lighting and power. Uplights, string lights and extension cords. See lighting.
• Glassware and a bar setup. Toast glasses for midnight. See glassware.
• Heat. An outdoor smoking or photo area needs a heater, if the building allows it.

If the venue has an in-house rental list, compare it with outside options. How to compare event rental quotes helps you do it fairly. Ask whether the venue charges a fee for outside vendors, and whether they need paperwork.

Delivery and pickup on a holiday

This is where New Year's Eve differs from other nights.

Read late-night and early pickup fees and setup and breakdown fees for how these are charged. Check the venue too: some rooms need to be empty by a certain time the next morning, and another event may be coming in.

What most hosts find out too late

• January 1 pickup is the real cost. The rental itself is the same, but a holiday pickup can mean a fee, or a wait for the next business day. Decide whether the items can stay in the room, who is responsible for them overnight, and whether the venue allows it.
• Loading in a high-rise or loft takes time. Freight elevators have set hours and must be reserved. Chicago holiday traffic and snow slow trucks. Ask for a delivery window earlier in the day.
• Rooms look bigger empty. A loft that holds 100 standing may hold 60 with tables. Ask the venue for the seated and standing counts, and use the seating chart planner.

Midnight details

Plan the midnight toast as a task. Glasses should be in hands by 11:45, with sparkling drinks poured or on trays. Confetti and streamers can leave a mess that some venues charge for, so ask first. And plan the exit: coats, rides and a spot to wait out of the cold. Holiday party planning kit has lists that fit a December party too.

Make the night easy

Book a free 15-minute planning call and we will check your date and list with the rental companies, including the January 1 pickup. Or get a quote for what the room is missing.