Ringing in the New Year
People celebrate the New Year in many ways, but generally the festivities include adult beverages, good friends and family, and tons of fireworks.
There are multiple opportunities across the region in which to ring in the New Year, from the beach to downtown Fort Myers to right here in the Cape.
However you choose to celebrate your New Year’s Eve, just make sure you do it wisely.
For those who may have celebrated a little too greatly, there are several ways to make it home safely. If you need a ride, call Yellow Cab at 332-1055, or you can utilize AAA’s Tow To Go program, which the club offers for free on all major holidays. AAA will tow you and your vehicle home for free. Call 1-800-222-HELP.
Cape Coral
Times Square is coming to the Cape – well, sort of.
The Third Annual New Year’s Eve Celebration at Cape Harbour will feature a ball drop to rival that of the famed party in New York City, as a giant hand-made ball will descend 170 feet to ring in the new year!
That’s much bigger than the drop in Time’s Square, which only descends 77 feet over the course of a minute.
Though Time’s Square party has the Cape beat in sheer spectacle and history, without a Cape city-sponsored new year’s event, the Harbour’s party has become somewhat of the defacto New Year’s celebration in the Cape, drawing people from as far away as Charlotte and Collier counties to the Harbour’s marina.
“We think it’s important for the people in the Cape to have an event,” said Laura Straus, VP of sales and marketing at Cape Harbour. “It keeps people and money in the Cape. It’s been wonderful these last two years, and it’ll be even better this year.”
Straus was unable to determine how many people have enjoyed the festivities at Cape Harbour over the last few years because the event is free and a head count is not taken.
“We don’t charge people,” she said. “The whole concept is we want people to come down from all socio-economic groups and have a good time, enjoy the marina. It’s the community event in the Cape, which is really what the marina is all about.”
All the shops, restaurants, and galleries will be open all night long for people to shop, peruse and dine.
Rumrunners, The Joint, and Pignoli will be taking reservations for dinner. But, Longboards, The Joint’s outside bar, will be serving adult beverages all night long, along with some cheaper fare like hamburgers and hot dogs for those who don’t want to sit down for a full dinner experience.
Straus said the art galleries and boutiques are also a big part of the event, as families and art enthusiasts can explore the promenade and experience the full breadth of what Cape Harbour has to offer.
“It’s a wonderful family event. It makes it kind of fun, families might want to come down and look at the boutiques and the shops,” Straus said. “People can come and walk and look and enjoy it all.”
Fort Myers
The other big celebration kicks off in downtown Fort Myers starting at 7 a.m., as certain streets begin to close in anticipation of the big event, the Downtown Count-down.
This free annual New Year’s even party features four bands on two stages, with many local deejay personalities providing additional music and other street performers.
The event is sponsored by the Fort Myers Redevelop-ment Agency, an organization charged with bringing awareness and development to downtown Fort Myers, much like the Cape’s Community Redevelopment Agency.
The Fort Myers CRA is expecting anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000 people to invade the downtown area for fun and excitement.
Downtown clubs and restaurants are also getting in on the fun by staying open well past midnight to commemorate the new year.
City Tavern, En Vie Lounge, Hide-A-Way Sports Bar, Indigo Room, The Cigar Bar, Spirits of Bacchus, Downtown House of Pizza, and Neo are but a few of the multiple downtown venues getting in the action.
“One of the purposes of having two stages in different locations is to have people wander and discover downtown,” said Natalie Dunham, the CRA’s marketing manager. “We really want to showcase the businesses and what they have to offer.”
Even though streets will start to close at 7 a.m. on Dec. 31, there will still be plenty of parking opportunities spread throughout downtown.
The City of Palms parking garage will feature a flat rate of $4 after 6 p.m. for those who arrive early enough to snag a spot.
Free off-street parking will be available after 5 p.m., which means just a short walk to the heart of festivities.
Dunham said the party is “very accessible” no matter where you park, as the party will essentially be spread over the entire downtown area.
Food and adult beverage vendors will also be spread through the area, offering those who don’t want to sit and eat the chance to grab a quick bite and an even quicker drink.
As Dunham put it, “If you don’t feel like sitting down, you can always grab something on the street.”
Like the event at Cape Harbour, the party in downtown Fort Myers is aimed at bringing the community together to celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another.
For Dunham, it’s the chance for people to forget about the hardships of the economy, and have some fun.
“One of the concerns we’ve had as a redevelopment agency is to offer things for free, especially given the economy,” Dunham said.
Street closings will be as follows:
7 a.m. – First Street from Lee to Jackson streets
9 a.m. – Hendry Street between Bay and First Streets, Bay Street from Hendry to Dean streets.
3 p.m. – First Street from Monroe to Jackson streets, Broadway between First ad Main streets, and Hendry street between First and Main streets.