P.J. Marley's rings in New Year with live music, champagne toast

MEDINA — Customers crowded into P.J. Marley's on New Year's Eve to ring in 2025 a bit before the clock struck midnight. P.J. Marley's, 119 Public Square, was open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on New Year's Eve. While closing before the ball dropped in New York's Times Square, the restaurant hosted a New Year's Eve party from 3 to 6 p.m. with live music and a free champagne toast to celebrate with community members. The restaurant's tables were filled and the bar was crowded, a few people wore New Year's Eve attire and had their noisemakers in hand. The Island Doctor, a solo guitarist and vocalist specializing in an island style of music, performed throughout the New Year's Eve party alongside Tim Longfellow, who played keyboard and accordion. P.J. Marley's manager on duty Jen Banks said the party provided a place for community members to have fun and celebrate the upcoming new year, while also giving the restaurant's employees the later portion of the night off. The Island Doctor and Longfellow performed at the front of the restaurant, while staff members walked around with trays of champagne to pass out to the customers for a New Year's countdown. Audience members kept checking the time and as 6 p.m. approached, the musicians paused to lead everyone in a countdown. As people cheered, made noise with their noisemakers and drank champagne, the Island Doctor and Longfellow began to play "Auld Lang Syne" to lead P.J. Marley's into 2025. Contact reporter Sara Crawford at (330) 721-4063 or scrawford@medina-gazette.com.