Toronto New Year's Eve 2012 parties are fast approaching, meaning the fashion-conscious are already searching for dresses no one will see in the dark, and limos and bottle service will soon be in unbelievable demand. Ringing in the new year in Toronto is inevitably an event at which to see and be seen (that is, if you can see straight), and all sorts of venues offer their own takes on champagne at midnight and a collective count down. Assuming the world doesn't end in 2012 and the parties are cut short, here are a few events to check out for New Year's Eve in Toronto.

NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTIES: EVENT SPACES/ALTERNATIVE VENUES

NYE at Thompson Hotel (550 Wellington St)
For $200 you can look down on the rest of Toronto, literally, as you ring in the new year. The Thompson's $200 NYE all-access pass gives you access to the famed rooftop, or you can try to nab the $85 early-bird ticket, which, unfortunately, does not. The party features a live DJ, favours, hors d'oeuvres, and a glass of champagne, and tickets (regular price $150) can be purchased online.

Babe Night 2012: New Year's Edition at Milk Glass Co. (1247 Dundas St W)
Two floors of New Year's Eve fun (and fundraising). MIlk's NYE party will feature live music downstairs and DJs on the main floor, with money raised going to renovations at Milk Glass Co., a new gallery and antique shop. Cover is just $10, and drinks are promised to be "cheap."

Toronto Salsa Ball at 918 Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts, Media & Education
New Year's Eve dancing doesn't have to involve unwelcome groping from strangers (see clubs, below). 918 Bathurst is hosting a masquerade salsa ball with a dance showcase, swag bags, prizes, hors d'eourves, a cash bar, and lots of room to dance, of course. The music will include Latin, Salsa, and Reggaeton, with five DJs running the night. Tickets are $50 and available at various retailers and online.

• Twenty Twelve NYE at Distillery District (55 Mill Street)
• Grand 2012 at Liberty Grand (Exhibition Place)
• An Amsterdam Good New Years at Amsterdam Brewery (21 Bathurst St)
• New Year's Eve Fetish Ball at the Opera House (735 Queen St E)
• Back In The Day New Years Eve at Solarium (11 Polson St)
• New Years Eve with Fred Falke at Airship37 (37 Parliament St)
• Dream NYE at Sheraton Centre (123 Queen St W)
• The Imperial Ball at Palais Royal (1601 Lake Shore Blvd W)
• AlienInFlux & Promise Warehouse NYE2012 (6 Noble Street)
• 12 - An NYE Experience at Twist Gallery (1100 Queen W)

NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTIES: BARS + RESTAURANTS

Happy Endings NYE 2012 at Dim Sum King (421 Dundas St W)
Bubbly and dim sum must be one of the best ways ever to ring in the new year. Dim sum platters are $5 at Dim Sum King for its New Year's party, which includes a five-DJ lineup, free champagne, Chinese lion dancers, and lobster (!?) with bottle service. Advance tickets are $50, available in-store and online.

Bangs & Blush NYE at Clintons (693 Bloor St W)
What's one way to avoid facing the impending apocalypse? Ring in 2012 like it was 1964.
Bangs & Blush will do the 1960s soul and pop thing all night in what promises to be a very sweaty back room at Clintons. Tickets are $15, and you can buy your own damn Champagne — or Jägermeister as the case may be.

• The Garrison New Year's Eve at The Garrison (1197 Dundas St W)
• New Year's Eve at Bovine Sex Club (542 Queen St W)
• SummerAid does NYE at the Hard Rock (279 Yonge St)
• White Girl NYE at Parts & Labour (1566 Queen St W)
• DJ Sneak & Special Guests at Wrongbar for NYE 2012
• Get Swagged New Year's Eve at Andy Poolhall (489 College St)
• Ultra Prive at Ultra Supper Club (314 Queen St W)
• Bang the Myth Paradise New Year's Party at Unit
• Love Triangle NYE at the Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen St W)
• Soulful Resolution at Harlem Restaurant (67 Richmond St E)
• Caution Jam's NYE Wang Dang Doodle at Grossman's Tavern (379 Spadina Ave)

NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTIES: CLUBS

NYE'12 Winter Wonderland in Toronto at The 559 (559 College St W)
We haven't seen much of that "winter wonderland" part yet, and neither, for that matter, have we seen much of The 559. That's because the new club is opening its doors for 2012, offering free hors d'eouvres and champagne, live DJs, and "magical" winter decor for its NYE event. Tickets are $25 and available online.

The Light Fantastic NYE at Centre of Gravity (1300 Gerrard St E)
The circus school is turned into a club for New Year's Eve, though the night will certainly feature its share of performance. Silks, clowns, tribal fusion belly dances and more, set to live spinning, free champagne, and prize draws. Masks and costumes are encouraged, and $40 advanced tickets are available at various downtown stores and online.

• New Year's Eve with Steve Aoki & Thomas Gold at Koolhaus (132 Queen Quay E)
• Bollywood New Year's Eve at Courthouse Nightclub (57 Adelaide St E)
• NYE 2012 Old Hollywood Glamour at C Lounge (456 Wellington St W)
• Voyeur NYE at Loft5EIGHTY (580 King St W)
• Magic NYE at Guvernment (132 Queens Quay E)
• New Year's Eve Fashion Icon 2 at Suba Lounge (292 College St)
• NYE 2012 with GREEN VELVET at Footwork Nightclub (425 Adelaide St W)
• New Year's Eve 2012 at The Barn (418 Church St)
• Pitbull!! Explosive NYE Party!! at Phoenix Concert Theater (410 Sherbourne St)
• Decadence 2012 at Century Room (580 King St W)
• #A100FuckinBottles at Pacha Lounge (1305 Dundas St West)

Have additional suggestions for New Year's Eve 2012 events? Let us know in the comments. We'll also add more links to this post as further events are announced.

Photo by Atilla Soylu in the blogTO Flickr pool