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Here's my first attempt at mapping the best outdoor public parties for US cities. Thoughts?? What other cities am I missing? I presume I'm missing some big ball-dropping cities!
New York City, NY -- "Times Square celebration"
Every year as the clock nears midnight on December 31st, the eyes of the world turn once more to the dazzling lights and bustling energy of Times Square. Anticipation runs high. New Year's Eve at the symbolic center of New York City has become more than just a celebration - it's a global tradition.
As the famous New Year's Eve Ball descends from the flagpole atop One Times Square, an estimated one million people in Times Square, millions nationwide and over a billion watching throughout the world are united in bidding a collective farewell to the departing year, and expressing our joy and hope for the year ahead. New Years Eve 2014 in New York City Times Square Events
Boston, MA -- "First Night"
Boston's city-wide First Night party includes hundreds of different indoor and outdoor locations, performances, and a thousand musical, dance, theater and other artistic performers. First Night is a day long Festival celebrating art and community in Boston. Perfect for Families of any age. First Night Boston 2014
Cleveland, OH -- Drew Carey hosts the downtown “Cleveland Rocks New Year’s Eve 2013 — Electric Ice!” The public party features live music from dub-step trio Krewella, fireworks, live ice sculptures, live bands, in-crowd performers, beer, and local food trucks. Cleveland New Year's Eve | Ohio Homecoming
Pittsburgh, PA -- "First Night"
First Night Pittsburgh an arts-focused and family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration in downtown Pittsburgh’s Cultural District. It is the largest single-day celebration in the region offering around 150 events at nearly 50 indoor and outdoor locations within the 14-block Cultural District. Highmark First Night Pittsburgh
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St. Louis, MO -- "First Night"
First Night in St. Louis takes place in Grand Center with both outdoor and indoor family friendly activities and events. First Night’s® mission is to broaden and deepen the public’s appreciation of the arts through an innovative, diverse and high quality program which offers the community a shared cultural experience that is accessible and affordable to all. In order to maximize the participation of people of all ages, First Night® is a non-alcoholic event. First Night® in Grand Center | Grand Center | The Intersection of Art and Life | Saint Louis Missouri
Los Angeles, CA -- Grand Park plans to host a New Year’s Eve celebration that encompasses 12 blocks in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. The event is complete with free, family-friendly events, musical and dance performances and more. There also will be a live feed of New York’s Times Square festivities at 9 p.m. as well as a digital mapping display on 22 stories of City Hall while L.A. counts down to 2014. NEW YEAR’S EVE LA | Grand Park LA
Las Vegas, NV -- "America's Party." The Strip fills with revelers. Fireworks light up the sky. The casinos are body-to-body, the showrooms filled with A-list entertainers and Vegas is more gloriously alive than you've ever seen it. New Year's Eve in Vegas is a world-class celebration. VEGAS.com New Year's Eve in Vegas 2013 - 2014
New Orleans, LA -- "Jackson Square celebration"
When it comes to celebrating New Year’s Eve in grand style, no other city does it better than New Orleans. And, best of all, much of it is FREE. Jackson Square is ground zero for the evening’s fun and excitement, with live entertainment beginning at 9 p.m. This year’s party will feature Eric Lindell and the Honey Island Swamp Band. New Year's Eve in New Orleans
Last edited by costello_musicman; 12-29-2013 at 03:32 PM..
NYC is great for that "have to see it once", but that would be it after embracing the crowds and there's a reason why it's just as good to watch it on TV like I have all my life. I can't believe New Orleans is the only place in the South that's listed. It's milder compared to most of the rest of the country while you northerners shiver. Atlanta has the Big Peach drop, Orlando has Disney's magical fireworks, Miami is very festive and many of its resorts have great parties, and the Texas cities surely have something special. If country music's your thing, you can't go wrong with Nashville, with its Bash on Broadway topping the events. Memphis has a big guitar drop on Beale Street. Also, some venues may fare poorly with older audiences who don't like dubstep and electropop-type music, such as Cleveland's.
Last edited by Borntoolate85; 12-29-2013 at 05:01 PM..
^ Thanks BTL, I was hoping to get the ball started here (no pun intended)
Atlanta, GA -- "Peach Drop"
Peach Drop, the Largest New Year’s Eve Celebration in the Southeast, is a 16-hour event with a full day of family fun and an evening of top-notch entertainment! Beginning at 11 a.m., Underground Atlanta will be filled with carnival-style rides, live music, face painting, street performers and festival food.
As 2014 nears, the main stage will light up with live performances and the 800-pound Peach will begin its decent just before the clock strikes midnight. This year’s event will see a new twist on this celebrated ritual, as a giant M&M’S® Peanut will be featured alongside the peach and reveal a colorful surprise to spectators shortly after the drop is made. Peach Drop - New Year's Eve Celebration at Underground Atlanta
Baltimore, MD -- "New Year's Eve Spectacular"
The tradition continues! Ring in the New Year with family, friends, live music, fireworks and lights. Baltimore’s New Year’s Eve Spectacular takes place Tuesday, December 31, 2013 from 9pm to 12:30am. Prior to the fireworks show, visitors can enjoy live music starting at 9pm at the Inner Harbor Amphitheater, located at Pratt and Light streets. The fireworks display is the largest in the region- turning the sky over the Inner Harbor into a multitude of colors. The choreographed fireworks show starts at the stroke of midnight, 12am. Residents and visitors can view the fireworks from along the Inner Harbor promenade, as well as the neighborhoods of Federal Hill, Locust Point, Canton, Harbor East and Fell’s Point. http://www.bop.org/index.cfm?page=events&id=44
Cincinnati, OH -- "New Years Eve on Fountain Square"
Ring in 2014 with friends and fellow Cincinnatians at the Huntington Bank New Year’s Eve Blast on December 31. DJ Tweet provides the evening’s soundtrack, and the New 94.9 is on hand to judge the annual dance contest. Food vendors, beverage stations and New Year’s Eve souvenirs are available throughout the event, which culminates at midnight with a spectacular fireworks display from Rozzi’s Famous Fireworks. Skating on the U.S. Bank Ice Rink is free all night, starting at 8 p.m. http://myfountainsquare.com/event/new-years-eve/
The Stream Energy Fireworks Spectacular is one of the most fantastic New Year’s Eve fireworks displays in the county. The pyrotechnics will light up the night sky at midnight, when the Stream Energy Countdown Clock hits zero. http://bigdnye.com/
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Nashville, TN
Ring in the new year and rock out the old with Music City and thousands of your closest friends at Nashville’s New Year’s Eve party on Lower Broadway. Bring your party hats. Make some noise. Count down to the fireworks and midnight "Music Note Drop®"! Nashville is one huge party with the Predators on 12/28, a Titans game on 12/29, the Music City Bowl on 12/30, and the Music City Bash on Broadway with Hank Williams Jr. and more on 12/31! Music City New Year's Eve Bash on Broadway Party in Nashville | Visit Nashville, TN - Music City
Memphis, TN
Memphis, Tennessee is of course most commonly associated with music, and this theme is very much reflected in their new years eve celebrations, with the main event being their own interpretation of a ball drop, the Guitar Drop, which takes place in the Beale Street historic district, along the iconic Memphis Walk of Fame, which features entries for famous Memphis musicians, including WC Handy, BB King and Bobby Blue Bland - suddenly Marc Cohn's Walking In Memphis track starts to make a lot more sense! New Year's Eve Celebration on Beale | memphistravel.com
Last edited by costello_musicman; 12-29-2013 at 05:40 PM..
You know, the only place I'd want to be in New York watching is in a hotel room or apartment with a view of everything - with a balcony, or at least large windows that open. I would hate to be standing down there for 12+ hours with no bathroom access and limited mobility. I'd enjoy it if I were a celebrity who gets to stand away from the crowds, on a stage, with access to food, warmth, and bathrooms - but I'm not. It was 20 degrees last night. One lady who comes every year said she got hypothermia one year - not fun to me. It's probably fun to do once but I can't ever see myself going to Times Square for NYE more than once. We tend to avoid the city on NYE because it's such a crowded mess.
That being said, however, I do think Times Square may still be the best celebration in the country for New Year's.
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