Photo courtesy of Mount Airy Museum of Regional History

A standing-room-only crowd is on hand for last year’s New Year’s Eve celebration at Old North State Winery, and organizers expect another this year. Tickets for the event are $20 and are on sale now.

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Those planning on attending this year’s New Year’s Eve celebration benefiting the museum should heed the message of organizers: Get tickets now.

For the third year, the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History is teaming up with Old North State Winery to offer a New Year’s Eve celebration, and organizer and museum Director Matt Edwards said tickets are going fast.

“We’ve sold some tickets already, but right now we’re in that window where we expect the heaviest volume of sales,” he said. “I expect some really good ticket sales over the weekend and the biggest mistake people can make is waiting to buy their tickets at the door.”

Last year, organizers were forced to turn away more than 50 people, Edwards said.

“If you’re looking for a good party and a great way to ring in the new year, you’re best served if you purchase tickets in advance,” he added.

The New Year’s Eve celebration is set to get under way at 9 p.m. at Old North State Winery and run until around 1 a.m., Edwards said.

It is being jointly sponsored by the museum and the winery, with additional support from B&L Custom Jewelers and Cutting Edge Tile and Grout Cleaning Service.

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door, although Edwards said he doesn’t expect many tickets to be available at the door.

And for the first time, the party will feature two floors of entertainment.

“This year’s event will feature music by the Mediocre Bad Guys on the main floor, and upstairs we’ll also have music from DJ Sugar Bear Productions,” Edwards said. “Last year, they’d just opened up the second floor space, and this year we decided that we wanted to offer what is essentially two parties in one location.”

Proceeds from the New Year’s celebration go toward helping fund the museum during the slow winter season.

“I’d be hesitant to call this a fundraiser, because that often scares people away, but that’s what it is,” Edwards said Friday. “This really helps carry us through the slow winter months until spring and summer when the people start rolling in again.”

With two years experience offering the New Year’s celebration under his belt, Edwards said he expects a standing-room-only crowd.

“This event was started in 2010, and we had about 175 people attend,” he said. “But last year the event sold out. We have 300 tickets available and we expect a sell-out again this year.”

Tickets include a champagne toast at midnight, plenty of party favors and, “all the entertainment you can handle,” Edwards said.

And the event, while a fundraiser for the museum, is also a way to give back to the community, he added.

“We do this as a way to connect with the community,” Edwards said. “Museums aren’t just stodgy places to store old stuff, we want to be active community partners. Part of what we do is educational, part is about preservation and part is just plain fun.

“This falls into that latter category. It’s a way to get people out and involved with the museum and create that positive relationship.”

Reach Keith Strange at kstrange@heartlandpublictions.com or 719-1929.