On New Year's Eve in Indiana, locals and visitors revel in the possibilities of the months to come. From ball drops to fireworks to First Night activities, every locale rings in the new year a little differently. As part of NewYearsQuest -- a MapQuest guide to the best New Year's Eve sights and sounds in the U.S. and in major cities around the world -- here are three recommended events for New Year's Eve 2011 in Indiana.

Indiana New Year's Eve Events Map

Family New Year’s Eve At The Indiana State Museum

The Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis hosts a Family New Year's Eve celebration earlier in the evening, from 6 to 9 p.m., before the ball drops. At this alcohol-free event, visitors can stroll through the museum along with clowns, musicians and stilt walkers who tower high above the crowd. Kids can get their faces painted and celebrate the onset of 2012 with an 8 p.m. balloon drop. Tickets cost $6 for museum members and $11 for nonmembers.

Indiana State Museum, 650 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46204

New Year's Eve On The Slopes At Perfect North Slopes

Powder fanatics in Indiana can celebrate the new year while skiing, snowboarding or snow tubing down the slopes at Perfect North Slopes' New Year's Eve on the Slopes event in Lawrenceburg. The celebration includes a torchlight parade, where ski instructors coast down the slopes holding lanterns to light up the path as 2011 winds down. A fireworks show at midnight lights up the new year to visitors' delight. The slopes are open to guests until 1 a.m., so visitors can brag they had the first run of 2012.

Perfect North Slopes, 19074 Perfect Place Lane, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025

New Year's Eve Masquerade Ball

The Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana originally formed to fight the perception of a "brain drain" -- a reference to the "large number of young professionals leaving Indiana to live and work in other states." The group vows it is "more resolved than ever to see their region succeed." Hence, fun events like the YLNI's New Year's Eve Masquerade Ball in downtown Fort Wayne, where anyone 21 and older can come to celebrate the new year in style from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Black tie is optional at the party, which features music for dancing, fireworks, a dessert bar and a cash bar. Since it is a masquerade ball, masks are required. The group will present an award at the end of the night for the best mask, so guests can have fun and get creative as they prepare for the event. Tickets cost $35 for members and $40 for nonmembers.

Parkview Field Suite-Level Lounge, 1301 Ewing St., Fort Wayne, IN 46802

New Year's Eve In Indiana: Video

Revelers enjoy a torchlight parade and fireworks at Perfect North Slopes' New Year's Eve celebration.

Did we miss an Indiana New Year's Eve event? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

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