“3…2…1… HAPPY NEW YEAR!”
While you’re yelling this with your friends and family and watching the big ball drop,do you also watch the spectacular celebrations going on around the world?
You can witness and be a part of those magnificent global celebrations by kicking off 2015 with a trip to some of the best destinations to celebrate the coming of a new year!
Valparaíso, Chile
This spot is home to the largest New Year’s Eve show in Latin America. View a 20 minute fireworks show at Valparaíso harbor – the fireworks are launched from 17 different points along the coast between Valparaíso and Viña del Mar. This fireworks display is taken so seriously that the first few city blocks from the waterfront get their power cut just before the show starts.
And it’s not just the incredible fireworks show that make Valparaíso a New Year’s Eve hotspot – it’s also known for its partying in the street, which gets filled with confetti at midnight. A stage is set up at Plaza Sotomayor, the main square near the wharf, with live bands performing until 8 a.m. New Year’s Day.
Do as the locals do for good luck in 2015 by wearing yellow underwear, eating a dozen grapes at midnight and putting a $1,000 peso bill in your shoe.
Reykjavik, Iceland
The locals in this Scandinavian town take it upon themselves to make sure the New Year is celebrated right. The tradition here begins with a grand family meal followed by bonfires. There are 10 different bonfires lit around Reykjavik at 8:30 p.m. – this tradition symbolizes the burning away of the previous year’s troubles. After the bonfire, nearly 90 percent of the nation gathers around their TVs to watch “Áramótaskaup,” meaning the annual New Year’s comedy.
And then, watch as thousands of fireworks light up the sky. There are no official firework displays in this city; the locals put on the display themselves, setting off around 500 tons of fireworks. The party continues at Reykjavik’s famous downtown area where bars and clubs stay open until at least 5 a.m.
Vienna
New Year’s Eve in this Austrian city is all about music, mulled wine, balls, parties and traditions. The Silvesterpfad, meaning New Year’s Eve Path, it the city’s annual grand street party and is the main New Year’s Eve event in Vienna. There are free, open-air concerts in the historic city center where you can listen to everything from folk, waltz, and opera, to pop and rock music.
The party at Silvesterpfad officially kicks off at 2 p.m., turning into one big party that lasts well after midnight. At midnight, the chimes ring at St. Stephen’s Cathedral and a fireworks show is put on over Prater Park.
Sydney
You can be a part of the very first ringing in of 2015 in this Australian city – it’s the first major city to celebrate the New Year, hosting one of the largest parties in the world. More than 1 million people typically attend the world-renowned waterfront show. The celebration lasts all day into the night, including an air and water show that features aerial acrobatics and a fire tug water display. There’s also a Harbor of Light Parade that includes an illuminated fleet of more than 50 vessels and two fireworks shows – one at 9 p.m. and another at midnight.
Niagara Falls
This is the spot of the largest New Year’s Eve party in Canada. More than 2,000 pounds of fireworks get set off in two shows at Victoria Park, which overlooks the most powerful waterfall in North America. Musical acts perform for the crowd before and in between fireworks displays; the musical acts also help count down to midnight. The Ontario Generation Winter Festival of Lights runs throughout the holiday season, featuring 120 lighting displays created with also includes an ice-skating rink.
Photo from http://newyearseveblog.com/new-years-eve-sydney-dream-celebration/.
