Sydney mounts major celebration of 2023

With countdowns and fireworks, revelers in Sydney and other major city centers across the Asia-Pacific region ushered in the first new year without COVID-19 restrictions since the pandemic began in 2020.

While COVID-19 continues to cause death and dismay, particularly in China, which is battling a nationwide surge in infections after suddenly easing anti-epidemic measures, countries had largely lifted quarantine requirements, restrictions for visitors and relentless testing that had limited travel and the places people could travel to.

More than 1 million crowded along along Sydney’s waterfront for a multimillion-dollar celebration based around the themes of diversity and inclusion.

New South Wales police issued an advisory before 7 p.m. stating that only people with tickets to attend the celebrations should head into the city because all vantage points were full.

More than 7,000 fireworks were launched from the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and a further 2,000 from the nearby Opera House.

It was the “party Sydney deserves,” the city’s producer of major events and festivals Stephen Gilby told the Sydney Morning Herald. “We have had a couple of fairly difficult years; we’re absolutely delighted this year to be able to welcome people back to the foreshores of Sydney Harbor for Sydney’s world-famous New Year’s Eve celebrations.”

In Melbourne, a fireworks show along the Yarra River at dusk preceded a second session at midnight. The Pacific nation of Kiribati was the first country to mark New Year’s.

Bianca De Marchi/Australian Associated Press Fireworks explode over the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge early Sunday to mark New Year’s. More than 1 million people crowded along Sydney’s waterfront to join the celebration.