New Year's Celebrations
There are several fun things to do in the Greater Austin Area starting December 31st to bring in the 2008 New Year. Capital Metro busses and shuttles will be running to get you around town, many of the routes will be running extra late (Night Owl hours) until 3am. There will be street closures. Our Austin Police Department as well as law enforcement agencies in the Central Texas area will be extra vigilant. We encourage you to NOT drink and drive. Remember to dress warmly, it will be COLD.
First Night Austin 2008 - firstnightaustin.org - takes place across Austin in the city's parks, plazas, streets, storefronts, and building facades. Indoor venues are settings for a palette of performing and visual arts. A family-friendly, affordable, and alcohol free New Year's Eve festival. The fun starts at 3pm and continues until midnight. Fireworks on Auditorium Shores at 7:45pm for the kids are visibile throughout the downtown area. Program of Events
Sixth Street - Bourbon Street on Sixth Street - Austin's version of New Orleans New Year's Eve celebration. Music, booze and lots of people. Find out what we mean by "Keep Austin Weird". Be warned, parking is hard to find. This is NOT an event for minors.
Take a ride on a restored steam engine train. The Hill Country Flier has a New Year's Eve Twilight Flier excursion that departs Cedar Park around 9pm and returns around 1am. Please call (512) 477-8468 for reservations and information.
If it is just too cold right now to celebrate, you can put it off for a month or two. February 7th, 2008 is the start of the Vietnamese Tet and the Chinese New Year. China Town Center will be hosting a two day celebration of the Chinese New Year on February 9-10, 2008. They are located at 10901 N. Lamar Blvd (North Austin) and will be bringing in the Year of the Rat.
Still too early to celebrate the New Year? How about the Pohela Boishakh and South Asian New year Festival, April 12, 2008? Texas Bengali Cultural Alliance
Whatever your choice, have a Happy New Year and Welcome to Austin!