It was August and you were getting ready for Burning Man. You bought expensive lace and beading and made the most beautiful pair of four-foot alien enchantress wings. But then the car broke down halfway through Oregon, you spent four days trying to find a chop shop selling old Volvo parts, and by the time you were ready to go, the event was over and your beautiful artwork/costume was irrelevant. So what better time to resurrect the craft project you’d planned to debut in the Nevada desert than New Year’s Eve? West Seattleites hoping to indulge their love for electronic music and Cowboy Bebop (and avoid the bridge) can get that midnight kiss at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. They’re playing host to Science Friction, a party celebrating all things exotic and nerdy—sci-fi inspired costumes are encouraged. Located in an old schoolhouse, the Center’s great for events on a massive scale; four rooms are planned for this one, each with its own bar, featuring over 25 performers. Tunes start spinning at 9 p.m., but if you want to make it your after-hours stop instead, they’re running until 4 a.m.

Mon., Dec. 31, 9 a.m., 2007