It’s New Year’s Eve around the world, with parties at all self-respecting bars and many homes and apartments, but only in High Point can you celebrate a sesquicentennial. That’s 150 years of furniture, farming, Coltrane and Quakers. The high-ticket fundraiser for the High Point Museum kicks off a series of festivities leading up to the city’s anniversary on May 26. One hundred and fifty dollars (get it?) covers food, champagne and entertainment.

Dont mix your liquors. Take a cab home. And drink a bunch of water before you go to bed. Happy 2009, yall!.

C’mon… you don’t plan on getting any work done this week, do you? Besides, of course, all the preparations for the looming holiday, I mean. Embrace the short time before Christmas by attending the YES! Weekly, 336 Events Triad After-Work Social, held this week in Greensboro at the Box Seat. Free drinks, y’all.

No irony, no subtlety; just plain old Christmas magic exactly the right way to start the season. Even if youve seen it a hundred times, its worth the trip to catch it on the big screen, the way it was meant to be watched. This screening is part of the Carolina Classic Film series.

Historically Chicago blues amplified Delta blues with electric instruments, more jazz and more swing. Even alone on stage, this old white man will make you dance. Margolin also won the 2008 Blues Music Award for best instrumentalist..

Pure Fiyah is the reggae creation of Greensboro native Ras David Graves. It's not clear that this party will have anything to do with Thanksgiving, except for the date and the name, but who's complaining? There will also be Caribbean food. And come to think of it, Columbus did stop near Jamaica.

Contemporary dance is strangely cool, especially because its happening in way-off-Broadway Winston-Salem. The show includes a world premiere by guest artist Janis Brenner, as well works by School of the Arts faculty. Performances continue at 8 p.m. through Nov.

The Black Pearl; 3706 High Point Road, Greensboro; 336.855.0063; www.theblackpearlgrillegreensboro.com.

Okay, its true that theres nothing really spectacular going on in the Triad today, but Nov. 10 is the birthday of the US Marine Corps, which began as the Continental Marines in 1775. Marines have served in every single American armed conflict ever, and there are a couple hundred thousand serving our country right now.

You know the drill: costumes and music, candy for the kids and drinks for the adults, dancing in the streets and revelry all night until 9 p.m., anyway. Slap on some face paint and check it out..