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Melbourne
Melbourne's New Year’s Eve celebrations coming back with a bang
Jessica Taylor Yates
December 10, 2021
How to celebrate New Year’s Eve in the City of Melbourne this year.
New Year's Eve is fast approaching. A time to bid farewell to 2021 and start off the new year with a fresh outlook. Luckily, with restrictions lifted, the City of Melbourne is going all out to help safely welcome in the new year with free festivities across the CBD.
The City of Melbourne will host four celebration zones across the city with an array of entertainment; seven outdoor precincts, food and drink, accompanied with live music.
Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp says she's looking forward to seeing people back in the city, enjoying all the festivals and activities on offer.
“Having our streets and laneways full of people with a sense of discovery, seeing people around, I just love it,” she says.
“We had Celebration Zones last year with much success. These were created across the city to keep people safe and manage the crowd while having a good time. Ultimately, we want to deliver the people of Melbourne a great time that is safe and compliant. These Celebration Zones represent that balance of celebration and compliance by delivering events in a COVID-Safe way.”
*Ensure you are following your local government guidelines when it comes to travel and recreational activity. For the most up-to-date advice, please check the Coronavirus Victoria website.*
NYE events in Melbourne 2021
Celebration Zones
Melbourne will host four Celebration Zones, in Flagstaff Gardens, Treasury Gardens, Alexandra Gardens and Docklands.
Each zone will feature light installations, DJs and different themed music to cater for Melburnians' eclectic music tastes.
Anyone keen to attend one of the four zones will need to claim a ticket on a first come, first serve basis from 11 am on Monday 20 December.
"There are 115 different artists performing across four live zones through the course of the evening, as well as two sets of fireworks displays across other zones, singers, circus performers, and more,” says the Lord Mayor.
“It’s an amazing level of entertainment still provided in a safe way.”
R-L: Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp, Chef and Restaurateur Karen Martini, and CEO Food and Drink Victoria Anthea Loucas Bosha. Image: City of Melbourne.
City revellers dancing in the new year. Image: City of Melbourne.
People making their way into the city on NYE. Image: City of Melbourne.
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New Year Street Feasts
As a renowned foodie destination, it wouldn’t be a celebration in Melbourne without an ode to street food.
On New Year’s Eve, seven Street Feast Zones will bring flavours from Melbourne’s favourite restaurants and bars out onto the street.
In a collaboration by the City of Melbourne, the Victorian Government and the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival there will be restaurant events and outdoor celebrations to ring in the new year.
Lord Mayor Sally Capp says New Year’s Eve in the city has something to offer for everyone.
“With two sets of fireworks shows at 9.28 pm and again at midnight, there’s something for all ages. The city needs to be diverse and have something for everyone,” the Lord Mayor says.
“Our brilliant Streets Feast and Celebration Zones, the sheer scale of entertainment on offer, and the never-seen-before mass drone swarm debut in Australia.
"Melbourne has taken a battering over the last 20 months, and so with that comes a real sense of community and pride for Melbourne, where we can enjoy the city together.”
A DJ Set at last year's NYE celebrations in the Docklands. Image: City of Melbourne.
A Celebration Zone at NYE in the City of Melbourne. Image: City of Melbourne.
Dancing in a Celebration Zone. Image: City of Melbourne.
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Drone light show delayed, not cancelled
What was going to be a first of its kind for Australia, a mass drone swarm was planned to light up the skies over Docklands in a New Year’s Eve light show.
However, due to major delays in shipping and logistics due to continued COVID-19 disruptions, Lord Mayor Sally Capp announed just days out from New Year's celebrations that the drone show had been cancelled for New Year's Eve.
As the equipment is now in Australia, the City of Melbourne isn't letting it go to waste. The drone show, expected to be akin to the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, will go ahead "as soon as possible".
“We’re really excited about the drone show. As this part is sold out, it will also run over January so people can still enjoy the display,” the Lord Mayor says.
City goers enjoying Street Feasts. Image: City of Melbourne.
Enjoying the festivities. Image: City of Melbourne.
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Looking forward to getting out and about in Melbourne?
