Plenty to do on New Year’s Eve
Cities, towns, communities hosting family friendly free events to help bring in 2018
Newfoundland and Labrador is always the first to celebrate the new year, and nobody celebrates better than Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
Even in the midst of inclement weather, residents across the province will get gussied up and head to a celebration in their many cities, towns and communities on the island and in the Big Land to ring in 2018.
While many will attend dinners, parties and celebrations where they can dole out hundreds of dollars, there are also a host of activities that will be family based and free to all users.
Some residents will host house parties with their family and friends, while others seek to be part of activities hosted at clubs, pubs and all points in between.
There will even be an abundance of free fireworks shows as residents have been busy amassing their collections to shoot off at varying times throughout the evening and at midnight.
A good vantage point throughout St. John’s or Mount Pearl can afford you a great show.
In St. John’s, the city has planned an all-ages, family friendly New Year’s Eve event to be held next to the boathouse at Quidi Vidi Lake. Part of that celebration will include a concert by The Navigators starting at 10 p.m., followed by fireworks being set off over the lake at midnight.
If Mother Nature fails to co-operate, the event will be postponed until Jan. 1, with the concert set for 6:30-8 p.m. and fireworks to follow.
Earlier in the day, the City of St. John’s is hosting a skating party on The Loop at Bannerman Park. This family friendly activity goes from 4-6 p.m. and will include hot chocolate and festive music for participants.
In Paradise, runners will get a chance to celebrate New Year’s Eve with a New Year’s Eve run on Saturday, Dec. 31 starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Paradise Double Ice Complex.
Registration is $10 in-person on-site at 9 a.m., with all proceeds going to the C.b.s./paradise Community Food Bank.
Andrew Gosse of Royal Lepage and Andrew Hallett of Triple C Car Wash will donate $5 per participant up to $500. If the trails are accessible, runners will do the loop around Octagon Pond, but failing that, runners will do two loops around the subdivision across from the RPYCC. Registration will take place in Resource Room B at 9 a.m. After the run, a reception and presentation to the food bank will take place.
For more information, contact paradiserunningclub@ hotmail.com or call Andrew Gosse at 709-682-0550 (Andrew@royallepace.ca) or Andrew Hallett at 709-727-1790 (tripleccarwash@gmail.com).
A pair of activities is slated for Mount Pearl and include a free public swim at the Mount Pearl Summit Centre from 10:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. In addition, the Glacier will host a skating party from 4-6 p.m. that features live entertainment, refreshments and Timbits provided by Tim Hortons, party favours and a new year’s countdown.
Admission is a non-perishable food item.
All patrons are required to wear a CSA approved hockey helmet on the ice.
The Town of C.B.S. is hosting a New Year’s Eve skating party at the C.B.S. Arena from 5-6:45 p.m. There will be free refreshments compliments of Tim Hortons. Following the skating event will be the New Year’s Eve fireworks at 7 p.m. at Sergeant Ned Nugent’s Field, weather permitting.
In Torbay, the town will host a family fireworks event at 8 p.m. on municipal land at the end of Holy Trinity Lane. If the weather does not co-operate, the event will be moved to Monday, Jan. 1.