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(CBS Local)- The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many of our traditions in 2020 and the celebration of turning the calendar to a new year is no different. The traditional New Year’s Eve countdown shows will go on, but there will be a different look and feel to them than normal. With restrictions on large public gatherings in place throughout the country due to the pandemic, each city is taking a different approach to their New Year’s celebration than in years past.
Though the approach is different, there are still plenty of events counting down the end of what has been a particularly tough year and ringing in a, hopefully, better 2021.
In New York, the ball drop in Times Square normally attracts thousands to the city’s center as people stand out in the cold to count down the minutes until midnight. While the drop will be virtual this year, there are going to be several live performances for audiences to tune in to. Gloria Gaynor is set to perform “I Will Survive” and “Joy Comes In The Morning” as audiences wait for the calendar to turn on the live webstream.
In Philadelphia, the pandemic has cancelled the New Year’s Day tradition of the Mummer’s Parade. But, New Year’s Eve is still in the cards, albeit in virtually and some events set to end before midnight in order to avoid any crowds gathering. The Please Touch Museum, which normally holds a NYE countdown, is instead offering families the ability to countdown from home at any time with their Countdown from Home video. There’s also videos guiding families on how to make their own noise makers, guitars and drums to ring in the new year in style.
For families in the Central time zone, the Minnesota Children’s Museum is hosting a virtual NYE party that kicks off at 7 p.m. CST on the 31st with “with music, dancing, fun activities and a ball drop,” that lasts about 30 minutes and can be live streamed through their website.
On the West Coast, Los Angeles is bringing in DJ Steve Aoki and his Latinx-focused label Dim Mak En Fuego to entertain those missing the feel of celebrating in Grand Park on New Year’s Eve.
“Even though we may not be together in the park, the 8th annual Grand Park’s NYELA celebration will retain all of the high-energy performances and party-like atmosphere this beloved program offers Angelenos, but this year with the twist of reaching a worldwide audience thanks to Fuse and showing the world this L.A. tradition,” Grand Park director Julia Diamond said in a statement.
The show begins at 11 p.m. PT with the ability to watch a live stream through the Grand Park website.
It won’t be the same New Year’s Eve that we’re used to, but at least there are options for entertainment for the evening.
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