After a successful year of popular, thrilling and very adult-oriented events, there’s no better way to bid farewell to 2025 than with Jake Ward and his North Bay Cabaret band of sexy pranksters.
Hence, a New Year’s Eve party with the moniker “Midnight Masquerade” will hit El Infierno Cantina in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square on Wednesday, Dec. 31. While the usual kinky party vibe is a given, this event marks a first-time collaboration between Ward and LUSH, Sonoma County’s premier LGBTQ+ dance party, which adds a whole new flamboyant dash of revelry to the proceedings.
Ward has been putting on events in and around Sonoma County for so long, one can almost track the comings and goings of the nightclub scene by the spaces he’s booked events at that are no longer around. While losing nightlife options is a bummer, his perseverance and love of putting on epic events is an inspiration.
“Mischief Masquerade was born at Whiskey Tip, where we packed the house for six incredible years. When Whiskey Tip closed, it left a void,” says Ward. This was due to rather particular needs he has of his venues, which include burlesque and circus performers often alongside comedians, poets and bands. Keeping all of this in mind, he notes, “We didn’t just need a new building; we needed a space that could accommodate the correct size, layout, and importantly, had the right vibe.”
Enter El Inierno Cantina, located at the space formerly home to Annie O’s and the Last Day Saloon, located on the edge of Railroad Square. This year’s “Halloweird” event was held at El Infierno. But going in, there was a little trepidation. “Bringing Halloweird to a relatively unknown venue was nerve-wracking, but the entire night went better than planned,” Ward admits. So much so that “me and the manager literally shook hands and locked in NYE on the night of Halloweird, which gave me exactly two months to bring this entire event to life,” he continues with a laugh.
Ward explains that El Infierno works in part because “beyond capacity, we need to work with venues that allow us complete creative control, and are excited to accommodate the very specific requirements for offering up this type of show.” He continues, “For New Year’s Eve, we told the venue that we need to take over the entire space, that the content will be extremely ‘R-rated’ and that we intend to give away free Champagne to the entire audience right before the stroke of midnight. They didn’t hesitate.”
There’s simply not enough space here to list all the performers scheduled, but they include: Jamie Dewolf, Qu’in de la Noche, Sgt Die Wies, Pony Bambino, Harlequin Grim, Dizzy from Earlier, Tapper Dan, Mel Debret, Jamin Jollo, Naveah Travis, Laidbackzach, Jordan Ranft and The Grawlix. LUSH will also be heading a “Dedicated DJ Dance Party Room” featuring DJ Dyops and DJ Diewies. As if that weren’t significant entertainment, the night will also feature a special performance by local faves The Crux.
As usual with a Northbay Cabaret party, there are several ticket options available, depending on how big one wants to go and how close to the, ahem, action one would like to be.
Options include: Masquerade Floor (general admission standing room), Velvet Parlor (reserved main floor seating), Twilight Balcony (two reserved seats on raised tier), Midnight High-Top (reserved high-top table for two), Gala Loft (reserved table for four on raised tier) and Grand Throne (front row vip table for two).
Pricing is tiered, with early bird, presale and at the door options. Also, if one attends Midnight Mischief and partakes in the endless Champagne and other adult indulgences, there are plentiful hotels in the downtown Santa Rosa area.
More info can be found at northbayevents.com.
