Watching Fort Lauderdale's New Year's Eve Fireworks from the Water
A guide to the events and locations for this year's New Year's Eve fireworks in downtown Ft. Lauderdale

Posted Sunday, December 30, 2012

 


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Downtown Fort Lauderdale is Ready to Rock 'n' Roll this New Year’s Eve
Monday • December 31, 2012 • 4:30 p.m. - 3:00 a.m.
S.W. 2nd Street between S.W. 2nd and S.W. 5th Avenues

Touted as one of the largest New Year’s Eve celebrations in Florida, this year’s free 11-hour street festival is full of fun and excitement for both children and adults. An estimated 100,000 revelers will crowd downtown Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, December 31 from 4 p.m. to 3 a.m. along S.W. 2nd Street between S.W. 2nd and S.W. 5th Avenues to wait with anticipation for the lighted ball to drop at midnight.

The spectacular celebration features a variety of activities for the whole family from 4:30 to 8:00 p.m. including bounce houses/inflatables, face painting, games, contests, and dancing with the DJ. Kids can enjoy the early ball lighting and countdown at 7:00 p.m. Adults can enjoy live music on the main stage from 8:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. Featured performers include classic rock band Big City Dogs and high energy entertainment from The Brass Evolution! For more information, please call (954) 828-5363.

Road Closures
Beginning Monday, December 31 at 7 a.m., the following traffic restrictions will be in place:

SW 2 Street will be closed from SW 7 Avenue east to SW 1 Avenue
Eastbound SW 2 Street from SW 7 Avenue to SW 5 Avenue will be restricted to Broward Center for the Performing Arts employees and VIP/Valet customers only with no parking garage access
SW 2 Avenue will be closed south of Broward Boulevard
Access to SW 3 and SW 4 Avenues south of Broward Boulevard will be restricted to residents who live in the area and employees of businesses on those streets
SW 5 Avenue will be closed south of the parking garage entrance
Roads will reopen at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, January 1. For more information, call (954) 828-5363.

You might be wondering, where can I watch the fireworks from the water? Well, since the party is downtown, really the only way to do this is if you have a boat docked on the New River. Chances are there will be a lot of boat traffic so anchoring is really impossible (it's never possible to anchor on the New River!).

On the east stage located at S.W. 2nd Street and S.W. 2nd Avenue, partygoers can jam to Tuxedo Jesus, a cover rock band, beginning at 7:45 p.m.

Revelers should make their way to the main stage by 11:45 p.m. for the midnight ball drop - it will be elbow room only! City officials will count out 2011 and usher in 2012 as the Downtown Countdown ball drops. At midnight, a five-minute pyrotechnic display will brilliantly illuminate the sky above Downtown Fort Lauderdale. Bursts of custom-mixed colors light up the night sky as confetti descends on partygoers. And the band plays on . . .

The City of Fort Lauderdale reminds everyone to celebrate responsibly. Two taxi stands will be available at the City of Fort Lauderdale Orange Bowl Downtown Countdown:

• East: S.W. 1st Avenue just north of S.W. 2nd Street
• West: S.W. 2nd Street and S.W. 5th Avenue in front of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts.