New Year’s Eve in Times Square
Times Square has been the center of the world’s New Year’s celebration for 106 years, since the owners of One Times Square conducted rooftop celebrations in 1904. On Friday, the revelers will start to arrive around 4 p.m., two hours before the opening ceremonies and an evening of entertainment with artists including Backstreet Boys & New Kids On The Block, Ke$ha, and Elvis Crespo. A confetti release and pyrotechnic effects will follow the midnight ball drop.
Emerald Nuts Midnight Run
If you don’t make it to Times Square or are just tired of it, don’t just stay home. The New York Road Runners is launching the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run on New Year’s Eve at 10 p.m. The night will start with music and dance with a DJ at 10 p.m., followed by a costume parade and contest at 11 p.m., and fireworks, laser light show, and four-mile run at midnight in Central Park.
The Dancing and costume contest will be held at the Central Park Bandshell, just south of the 72nd Street Transverse in Central Park.
New Year’s Eve Fireworks in Brooklyn
Ring in the New Year with a visual extravaganza that’s sure to blow your mind. The party starts at 11 p.m., so come early to be guarantee somewhere to sit. Battle the cold with hot refreshments, and start off your celebrations with entertainment at the Plaza. The best views of the fireworks are at Grand Army Plaza at the northern entrance of Prospect Park, or you can go into Prospect Park or onto Prospect Park West to catch the fireworks.
Shen Yun Performing Arts at Lincoln Center
Finish off your holiday season with an exhilarating performance by Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater. The world-touring show, which has been described as “a study in grace, wisdom, and the virtues,” runs from Jan. 6 to Jan. 16. Shen Yun brings to the stage 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture and features classical Chinese dance, 3-D backdrops, and a live orchestra.
Ticket prices range from $80 to $300. For more information, visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org or call 212-721-6500 between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Mulchfest 2011
Once you are done with your Christmas tree, you can bring it to a designated city park to be recycled into wood chips, which nourish plantings across the city. The MulchFest, which will take place on Jan. 8 and 9, will host 35 chipping sites and 35 additional drop-off locations.
For more information, visit www.nycparks.org.
