It’s easy to romanticize the Prohibition Era- the music, the funny attire, the thrill of secrecy in running around trying to procure bathtub concocted booze. It is with these tenets in mind that each January hundreds of guests flock to fill Webster Hall‘s four sprawling floors for an afternoon throwback in time appropriately dubbed ‘East Ville Des Folies.’ The building reportedly owned by nefarious mobster Al Capone serves as an ideal setting for such a grandiose event- one that pairs live music in the Grand Ballroom with a selection of spirits in The Marlin Room and a smattering of craft beers seemingly everywhere over four fun-filled hours.

From burlesque dancers to trapeze artists, there is no shortage of eye-catching accoutrements to pique one’s interest as you journey through time, equipped with a commemorative tasting glass as your only traveling partner. Best of all, tickets are moderately priced at just $50 for General Admission ($60 VIP tickets get you inside an hour early), allowing for an all you can handle tasting experience for the senses. Local food purveyors are also slated to be on hand for the day with beer pairing tastings available for purchase as you slurp down domestic and international pours from the likes of Upstate Brewing Company, Sixpoint, Lagunitas, Shiner, Two Roads, Smuttynose, Sierra Nevada, Alphabet City Brewing Company, Tsingtao, Guinness and more. Plus you’ll sip on whiskey offerings from High West, Redemption, Four Roses, Tullamore Dew, Knob Creek, Laphroaig, Hudson and Jack Daniel’s amongst the dozens being served to your waiting lips.

LocalBozo.com is no stranger to the annual ‘East Ville Des Folies’- evidenced by our coverage here, here and here. In anticipation of the New Year, we are pleased as peas to give away two tickets to the festivities on January 16th to one of our lucky readers and a guest of their choosing. All you need to do is tweet @localbozo using the hashtag #folies2016 for a chance at being our selected winner. Our favorite tweet will be chosen on Thursday, 1/7 so get started today as we celebrate a new year with a throwback to the old days of drinking. All the day’s information is here.  Slainte!

- Jane Van Arsdale