Hugh Hefner once referred to New Year’s Eve as “amateur night,” but that’s because he never made it to a sparkly/bubbly/booty-shaking bonanza in Montreal. Here are our top five Montreal NYE picks:

1. Royal Ball @ Royal Phoenix Bar, 5788 St-Laurent. Ring in 2013 with a world-class Royal Ball boogie down! Royal Phoenix’s NYE party features Montreal DJs B’UGO (GAYBASH/HI-BUDGET) and TIZI (HOT SAUCE/CIRCUS) and your favourite twisted sistas as hosts, Sally and Tyler (GAYBASH, DARLINGS, OCHO). Entry includes a glass of bubbly at midnight. Dress code: Fun f-ing times. $10 advanced tickets on sale now at Royal Phoenix, $15 at the door.

2. New Year’s Eve 2013 @ Le Belmont, 4483 St-Laurent. Your fifty dollar entry fee goes a long way at Le Belmont on NYE: you’ll see a club-banging headliner all the way from LA and enjoy the open bar all night long! Los Angeles’ CRNKN will join Montreal’s Swagtop Steve. Buy tickets online. $50, includes premium open bar.

3. Celebration 2013 @ Tokyo Bar, 3709 St-Laurent. Tokyo’s psychedelic spin on New Year’s welcomes 2013 with a groovy BLACK LIGHT PARTY! Wear your brightest whites and pop on your dancing shoes to hear DJ Psychology and guests spinning on the 1’s and 2’s. Getting a little steamy on the dance floor? Cool off on Tokyo’s glorious heated terrasse before diving back in. Group Reservations and bottle packages are available, just contact Tokyo on Facebook or call 514-842-6838. Pre-sale tickets $15, door price ???

4. NYE @ Casa del Popolo, 4873 St-Laurent. NYE, Casa-style. Bring your buds and let DJs Slutsky and Raf K whisk you into 2013 with the finest sonic masterpieces of the last four decades. Entry includes champagne-style beverage at midnight. $10 before midnight, $15 after.

5. Party Immersif du Jour de L’An @ S. A. T., 1201 St-Laurent. Kick off 2013 with an audio-visual immersion in the Satosphère, care of French DJ/producer Busy P (Ed Banger) and Montrealers Vincent Lemieux (Musique Risquée), Vosper, Jealous Lovers and Jocool & Liberty (VJs). Presale tickets $20, available online.