CHS is being eminently practical and listing our take on Capitol Hill New Year’s Eve celebrations in order of price, from $0 on up. While there might be an honorable mention or two that are more expensive, this list’s cutoff is a ticket price over $30. It also won’t mention any that we already know are sold out. If we’ve missed one, please give us a heads up in the comments. If you know of any stealthy, inexpensive bashes that are hiding out of sight of The Stranger’s NYE 2010 party list or the all-seeing eye of Facebook, please tell us of them in the comments too. And, yes, a lot of Hill bars will be totally FREE as usual — we just tried to give special attention to the free and cheap folks planning a little 2011 effort. We like effort.

Our list not gay enough for you. Gay Seattle Scene’s NYE Party List is very, very gay. Let us know if there’s a gay and cheap event we should add here.

The Central District’s NYE party list has a few affordable good times including Central Cinema’s Footloose Dance Your Ass Off extravaganza and good times at the Bottleneck.

Want dinner? We listed a few NYE menu previews in our rundown of the Hill’s Christmas dinner roster. Add the Volunteer Park Cafe to the list — though its price wouldn’t make our cheapy cheap party cut. Also a few more ideas in comments, below.

Here’s our Happy 2011 party list:

• The freest of all! Yes, you can see the Space Needle Fireworks from Capitol Hill.
• Oh so many bars on the Hill/$0 – But you won’t get free paper hats and noise maker things.
• Highline/ $0 – NYE Cakearokee: karaoke hipster-style, for free, in a vegan bar. You are encouraged to wear your finest attire for this “Fancy Schmanzy Dress Up Karaokee Night!” Hells yes, Capitol Hill. 9pm.

• The Capitol Club/ $0 –  DJ Edis starts spinning the tracks at 9pm. Champagne Toast at Midnight & Party Favors. Doors open at 6pm, food service til 1am.

• Garage/ $0 – DJ Killa B, midnight champagne toast included in the nonexistent cover charge (cool!). Reservations accepted for the bowling, pool playing, and sitting around and eating facilities. Doors at 7pm.
• The Cuff/??? – How much? We don’t know. Plus, their web site thinks New Year’s Eve falls on Saturday. Party!

---

• The Saint/ $0 – Colored lights, noisemakers, party hats. No special DJs or free champagne was mentioned, but hey, not cover charge! Reservations are recommended. 9pm.

• Po Dog + Auto Battery/ $0 –
  

  Check out Po Dog and AUto Battery on New Years Eve for our second annual bash featuring Continential Soldiers!! A Party you WON’T want to miss. Let’s face it, if you don’t get a wiener on NYE you aren’t living.

• Vermillion/ $5 – KBCS 91.3 NYE Party: DJs from the station will appear (and presumably play music) and visual art by Jesse Higman will already be there.  Suggested donation at door covers champagne toast and live broadcast of Space Needle fireworks, which will be a nice feature if it’s really cold out. 9pm.

• The Lookout/ $5 – Sparkle Party: great view of the Space Needle celebratory explosions, party favors, champagne toast, heating on the patio. And, I presume, lots of sparkles. 8pm.

• Chop Suey/ $10 – Comeback’s Xtravaganza/Paris is Burning Fantasty Fete, or “glamour, fierceness, realness, and shade”. There will be DJs, a glamour shot photo booth, and prizes for fiercest ensembles. If this has as much sparkle and voguing at the poster promised, it will be hilarious. If not, it will be sad. Requisite champagne toast included in price of admission. 9pm.

• Comet Tavern/ $10 – New Year’s Extravaganza. This party is in the running to deserve the name extravaganza simply because there will be a number of actual live bands in attendance (along with requisite NYE DJs): Purple Rhinestones, He Whose Ox is Gored, Dead Kill, Badlands. 9pm.
• Mercury @ Machinewerks/$10 – “Don your favorite mask for a magical evening of beauty, music, and dance.” Evening wear or “theme attire” encouraged.

• Local Vine/ $15 – The cover charges gets you a midnight champagne toast and access to a special NYE menu that you still have to pay for separately. Hmmm, not looking so cheap after all….

• Baltic Room/ $20 – 6th Annual Decibel Festival NYE Party: music from many people who I’m sure are Decibel famous, visuals by Killing Frenzy, photo booth, champagne toast at midnight. 9pm

• Havana/ $20 – 4th Annual NYE Gala: featuring music by Sean Cee and Soul Uno, party favors, 500 balloons, and champagne. 8pm.

• Century Ballroom/ $20-$75 – DJ Robb with West Coast Swing in the East Hall ($20) and live tango music from Tangabrazo in the West Hall ($30) could be conceivably called inexpensive, especially since this is a party where people will a) actually dance and b) may actually dance well. The $45 ticket for the live salsa in the ballroom or the $75 ticket that gives one access to all three dancehalls can no longer be considered inexpensive by this list’s requirements, but are receiving mention because they sound like a lot of fun. Dancing starts at 9:30pm.

New Year’s Day Chow
Along with the perennial Capitol Hill breakfast favorites Glo’s and Linda’s, Homegrown is doing an all-day (10-4pm) brunch on New Year’s Day. They say they’ll have all their “breaky regulars” (“Bacon, Egg + Beecher’s”, “Lamb Sausage, Egg + Cheese” & “The Avocado, Egg + Cheese” with homemade hot sauce) all served with a mini cup of organic oatmeal. They also mentioned something about a special NYD breakfast “sammie” that included Andouille sausage, fried egg, mustard butter, a dill pickle and raw milk jack cheese.