Millennium parties filling up

Area residents still pondering whether to take in a New Year’s Eve millennium party at a local restaurant or bar had best make up their mind soon as most are filling up fast with reservations.
La Flambeé is filled to capacity for its New Year’s Eve extravaganza, with the first seating at 5 p.m.
Among those nearing capacity is the White Pine Inn, where the Sunset Country Métis plan to hold their New Year’s Eve party fundraiser. Tickets cost $5 each, with only 20 of the 100 up for grabs still left as of yesterday.
“I think we’re going to do all right,” Gordie Calder, Sunset Country Métis senator said yesterday, noting proceeds from the party would go towards a down payment on the group’s office at 426 Victoria Ave. (the former Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau).
The cost of the building is $100,000, with the Sunset Country Métis focused on raising at least $15,000 of that Friday night.
Entertainment will include a jukebox and local talent show, Calder said.
“We are hoping to have fiddling and jigging,” he remarked, noting the latter was a form of story-telling. “We can entertain ourselves.”
Other New Year’s Eve parties nearing capacity included the Back Alley Bar at the Emo Inn. Manager Jerry Donaldson said he expected the 80-seat dinner and dance, which begins at 8 p.m., to be sold out before Friday.
Tickets cost $40 per person.
“I had a lady ask me last February when we were going to start selling tickets for New Year’s Eve,” Donaldson said. “Not everybody was that enthusiastic but tickets are going well.”
A prime rib and Chinese food buffet are featured in both the Back Alley Bar and the Emo Inn dining room New Year’s Eve. The dining room will have supper seatings at 5 and 7 p.m.
“Kettles” (formerly Emidio’s) will feature a cocktail hour at 5:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, followed by one seating for a buffet an hour later. Chef Ryan Parisien said reservations had been slow but steady, and expected things to pick up as Friday night drew closer.
He also noted the restaurant would be “playing it by ear” about whether to have an additional seating for supper.
“We may do another seating but that kind of depends on how many people we have,” he said. “We could run [through midnight].”
The Red Dog Inn and Rainy Lake Hotel also are holding millennium bashes on New Year’s Eve but management at both establishments could not be reached for comment by press time.
La Place Rendez-Vous is closed to the public New Year’s Eve for the annual MEC party.