Best Places to Spend New Year’s Eve!

December 2, 2021 | Eastern Engineering Group Marketing Department | Structural Engineering Blog | No Comments

New Year’s Eve Already?!

Traditions that delight our worlds, make all the hustle and bustle of the Holidays worth all of the work that go into them beforehand. The stores are packed, with people scrambling around, picking up dinners and gifts for families and friends. The airports are at their busiest; the roads are full, but there’s a certain magic in the air that can’t be denied. After all, it’s the HOLIDAYS! (Brief Disclosure: BIG Santa fan over here!) Yet once Thanksgiving has passed, and Hanukkah and Christmas are over; it seems the last bit of wrapping-paper has barely even hit the ground, before SUDDENLY, it’s New Year’s Eve already! If you’re like me, you could benefit from some more prepping and planning before the big night; but where are the best places to spend New Year’s Eve?! Let’s take a quick trip around the entire globe to find out a few!

1. Time Square in New York City

If you live in the United States, we’ll just get the obvious one right out of the way. 😉 Time Square in New York City has been considered one of the best places to spend New Year’s Eve for hundreds of years. Over 1,000,000 people crowd into the packed streets of Time Square to countdown together and watch the famous Ball made up of 32,256 Philips Luxeon LEDs plummet down on its 77ft. flagpole! Confetti bursts into the air, music is playing, and people are heard cheering and celebrating all throughout the streets. (Particularly 43rd to 59th streets at 7th and 43rd to 50th streets at Broadway!)

In addition to the million people in the live crowd, over 1,000,000,000 people will watch the event from screens all over the world! But watching it live, surrounded by New York City’s stunning skyscrapers and the electric energy all around you, is considered legendary to many across the globe.

One Time Square

The tradition of celebrating N.Y.E in Times Square began back in 1904. But it was in 1907 that the N.Y.E Ball made its transition to the flagpole atop One Times Square. According to Business Insider, One Time Square is one of the most iconic buildings in America and among the most expensive real estate in the world. Cyrus L. W. Eidlitz was the architect of this 363-foot-high historical icon. Construction began in 1903; completed in 1904! The building became headquarters of The New York Times. Currently, the billboards that are the exterior of the building generate more than $23 million a year and are among the most lucrative public advertisements in the world. As astonishing as these numbers are, they don’t compare to the billions of eyes that’ll have their sights set on it, come December 31st! Qualifying it for our list of one of the best places to spend New Year’s Eve!

2. Walt Disney World

How about ringing in the New Year at the most magical place on Earth?! Disney; of course! Although there have been a few schedule changes in the past month regarding Disney’s New Year’s plans for this year, I’m happy to announce as of now, they are keeping a majority of parks open until midnight to celebrate the incoming new year. Magic Kingdom is scheduled to stay open until 1:00 AM, while Epcot, and Hollywood Studios will remain open until midnight. You can check out Disney’s calendar online for any changes or updates to the schedule. What can be more magical than counting down the seconds until 12:00 surrounded by Disney-magic and all of the enchantment that exudes out of these exciting parks?!

New Year’s Eve at Epcot

If there’s any giant sphere with as much recognition as the New-Year’s-ball that drops in N.Y, I would think it would have to be the enormous globe at Epcot! Previously housing the ride Spaceship Earth that was closed earlier this year for refurbishment, Epcot’s massive globe (also known by some as a giant golf-ball), was originally opened October 1, 1982. According to WDW Magazine, “Imagineers took two years to create the sphere and the ride within it. Spaceship Earth is an impressive feat of engineering and actually consists of two spheres. One holds the ride inside and the other makes up the beautiful exterior.” The unique architecture involves a sphere sits on a hexagonal support, while the surface is made up of isosceles triangles. Basically, a geometry professor’s dream, and an incredible spectacle that dazzles the eyes of all ages.

Harmonious – Now Open!

As for New Year’s Eve activities, Harmonious, the new highly anticipated nighttime spectacular is officially open! The incredible light show located in the World Showcase Lagoon is scheduled to begin at 6:30PM on December 31st. The show includes pyrotechnics, lighting, fountains, and music, all working together to create harmony within the theme park. Sounds like one great way to start off the evening; especially before strolling around different countries and celebrating “all around the globe” in the matter of one night! I’ll take some tacos from Mexico, pastries from Paris, and Limoncello in Italy please!

3. Nashville is ALWAYS a Good Idea!

Not only an amazing idea for the 4th of July; Nashville, Tennessee is also known to be an incredible destination for New Year’s Eve! One of the city’s most exciting events is Jack Daniel’s New Year’s Eve Live! This year, Nashville’s big bash will feature performances by Dierks Bentley, Zac Brown Band, Sam Hunt, the Fisk Jubilee Singers, and other special guests. Picture a night dancing your heart away, to a free live concert, confetti, and fireworks galore! The party takes place in Downtown, Germantown, at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park.

Tennessee State Capitol

While on the topic of this beautiful state park- do note that the beginnings of this park once began with a different history than being one of the best places to spend New Year’s Eve. (Although, it certainly already sounds like a BLAST!) Throughout the late 1950s to early 1960s, downtown Nashville experienced a building-boom that happened to be blocking the view of the Tennessee State Capitol building from the east, west and south sides. The North however was not conducive for the building of skyscrapers, and became the preserved view of the building, and home to park… And apparently a banging time for New Year’s Eve! 😉 The Capitol, designed by noted architect William Strickland, resides today similar to as it did upon its first opening in 1859. Mr. Strickland even considered it his crowning achievement. This magnificent tribute to the people of Tennessee is certainly a spot to check out while you’re there!

4. Sydney Australia Mate!

Do you have your passport ready mate? Time to take a trip down under! The celebration and shows that occur on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House are hard to compare. The immense joy that bursts out of their shows like the fireworks themselves are astounding, and fun to even watch from television. Although the state of the world right now isn’t the norm, the show is continuing to go on in Sydney!

Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House

The shows at the Harbour Bridge and Opera House include:

From 8.30pm Pylon projections and lighting effects – Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons and eastern side.
9.00pm Welcome to Country Fireworks – Family friendly show featuring projections of dancers, whale and emu totems, a fireworks display and an exclusive soundtrack. An eight-minute show.
Midnight Fireworks – Pyrotechnic effects launched from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House and barges in the harbor to a synchronized simulcast.

Additionally, the midnight fireworks will run for 12 whole minutes of booming excitement! All in all, from a place already stunning on its own like the iconic Harbour Bridge itself; it’s a spectacle hard to top!

5. Venice, Italy – Viva Italia !

Still in search of picture-perfect scenes- straight out of a postcard, filled with art and food that’s out of this world?! Then Venice, Italy is calling your name for New Years! Venice is a one-stop-shop for it all. Stunning architecture that attracts tourists year-round, romantic gondola rides down beautiful waterways, mouthwatering food that makes the flight itself worth it; AND fireworks to top it off?! Viva Italia! For a huge celebration, head down to St Mark’s Square, one of the best New Year parties in the world! Crowds of people gather to watch singers and artists perform while celebrating bringing in the new year.

La Fenice Opera House

If you’re looking for a more intimate night; filled with art and some of the best international musicians around- than the La Fenice Opera House is for you! To explain, La Fenice Opera House is one of the most exclusive New Year’s concerts in the world. The Opera House lights up for the holiday, giving it a more festive-feel throughout its 3-day event. The show involves a two-part musical program. The first being exclusively orchestral. Furthermore, the second part is dedicated to melodrama, with a rundown of arias, duets and choral passages.

As fascinating as the shows performed at La Fenice Opera House are, its history is equally admirable. The building actually got its name “La Fenice”, meaning “the phoenix”; a mythical bird that rises from the ashes. This in turn, was to represent the fact that building was rebuilt after burning down. Even crazier?! The building has burned down TWICE more since the original reconstruction! The second occurrence was in 1836, and the building was reopened in 1837. While most recently, it was reportedly burned down by arsonists in 1996, and reopened in 2003. The building itself is a powerful standing physical image of the word’s strength, survival, and resilience. As well as it also just inspired my New Year’s resolution list! How about yours?!

Best Wishes and Happy New Year!!!

Regardless of where you’ll be throwing your confetti, cheers-ing glasses, and ringing in 2022, we at Eastern Engineering Group want to wish you a HAPPY and safe New Years! Wherever your celebration may be, may it bring you love, and plenty of laughs, to start this new year right! And for those who just stay in and celebrate at home sweet home; know that home is also always one of the best places to spend New Year’s Eve! Bring on 2022!