Fireworks for the last New Year celebrations at the Sound Shell in Napier on December 31 2020, locals will have to wait another year for the next one. Photo / NZME
Fireworks for the last New Year celebrations at the Sound Shell in Napier on December 31 2020, locals will have to wait another year for the next one. Photo / NZME
The Sound Shell will be silent as the New Year rings in, because Napier's New Year celebrations have been cancelled.
Napier City Council announced through social media that the organisers had made the call to cancel the annual event.
It was considered too difficult to manage the challenges of safely hosting an event under the new Covid-19 orange traffic light regulations.
"We hope to be back next year, with the good vibes and the great acts making New Year's Eve 2022 double the fun!" the council said in the post.
Those planning to go to Mission Estate Winery's New Year celebration are also out of luck, as it has already sold out of tickets after its last social media push, according to a spokeswoman.
Thankfully, those looking for a New Year's Eve event may not have to go far, with the Fiesta of Lights at the Tomoana Showgrounds in Hastings still planned to go ahead on the night.
The Fiesta of Lights will still be running from December 18 to January 9, including New Years Eve. These swans are a staple of the event, seen here in 2019. Photo / NZME
Paisley Stage co-owner James Rochester said the Killer Queens show is also planned to go until the New Year countdown.
"In general, we usually have a mass exodus at half-past 11 that all go down to the Sound Shell, so I guess that will keep people in and that will probably be beneficial," he said.
Fiesta of Lights organiser Te Rangi Huata said he was sad to hear about the Napier event's cancellation.
He said while there would likely be a "washover" effect on his and other local New Year's events, it may be limited.
"I have found that over the years an event has its own faithful core audience who will not go elsewhere regardless of the offering. They are loyal to a particular event by location, atmosphere, past happy memories or easy parking."
The Fiesta of Lights runs for multiple nights, from December 18 to January 9, and involves 350,000 lights which make up 60 displays, including animals and a 30-metre wide nativity scene.
