Melbourne’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display won’t go ahead
Melbourne City Council has unveiled their bold vision for New Year’s Eve while also revealing the fate of this year’s fireworks display.
Victoria
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Melbourne’s spectacular New Year’s Eve fireworks display will be a no-show this year - a victim of the pandemic.
Melbourne City Council has confirmed that the $3.4 million celebration that usually draws about 400,000 people to the inner city will be replaced by a more low-key food and drink experience.
Eleven city precincts including Little Bourke Street, Flinders Lane, AC/DC Lane, Hardware Lane, Spring Street, Domain Road and Docklands will be decked out for alfresco dining like European-style piazzas and squares.
But people will need to book tickets to secure seats at more than 50 venues taking part in the two-day New Year Street Feasts program which is backed by the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.
It will be a stark contrast to last year’s event when about 14,000kg of fireworks were launched from 22 city rooftops, with shows at 9.30pm and midnight.
The city council said it would be unsafe for the public and emergency services members if hundreds of thousands of people massed in the central city to see fireworks in 2020.
It added that social distancing rules had led cities like New York, London, Rio de Janeiro and Prague to cancel their fireworks displays.
Lord Mayor Sally Capp said it had been a tough year for the city’s restaurants, cafes and bars.
“We are tailoring a program to safely encourage more patrons into our incredible and deserving hospitality businesses that have struggled through lockdown restrictions,” she said.
“This is will be an opportunity to say goodbye to 2020, look forward to a brighter 2021 and thank every Melburnian for their efforts to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Food and Wine Festival CEO Anthea Loucas Bosha said Melburnians loved their food.
“We’re very much looking forward to working with the city’s talented operators to create extraordinary dining experiences to ring in the New Year,” she said.
“With the help of City of Melbourne we’re adding thousands of restaurant seats across the city for the two-day event.”
The event will be delivered by the council and state government through the $100 million Melbourne City Recovery Fund.
Other dining sites are Little Collins Street, Russell Street,, Lonsdale Street and Market Lane.
Tickets will go on sale from November 23 with information available at melbournefoodandwine.com.au.
To find out about other New Year’s events in the city go to whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au.
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