City of Austin

The City of Austin will usher in 2013 by hosting the third annual Austin’s New Year (A.N.Y.), a family-friendly and alcohol-free celebration from 5 to 10:30 p.m. Dec. 31 at Auditorium Shores, 950 W. Riverside Drive.

The event will feature an ode to “Resolutions and Recycling” with a “Web of Wishes” activity that will transform into a spectacle of color from a single strand and a “Plastic Storm” sculpture—a massive art piece from recycled materials—unveiled by Austin artist George Sabra at 5:45 p.m.

“Austin’s New Year celebration is quickly becoming a local tradition inspired by Austin’s unique character and expressive diverse, creative community,” said Cultural Arts Manager Megan Crigger.

A fireworks finale is scheduled at 10 p.m. with music by the Capital City Highlanders, a traditional Scottish pipe and drum band.

In addition to art installations and entertainment, like a catapult-building workshop, attendees can also experience an interactive light-and-sound-beam experience that transforms your body into a musical instrument, and back by popular demand, “StarSeeds Interactive,” a beautifully crowd-choreographed sky performance created with LED lights.

In a city where film is one of the major art forms, attendees can view “Indie shorts” by local filmmakers featured on the big screen compliments of multimedia programs SXSW, “Faces of Austin,” and “Lights. Camera. Help,” as well as selections from the Austin Film Festival and the Austin Film Society.

An Austin event is not complete without music. Austin’s finest musicians and up-and-coming talent will grace three performance stages beginning at 5 p.m.  Amongst the many bands will be local teen bands on one stage, Russian folk musicians the Flying Balalakai Brothers, Courtney Sanchez, Rockin’ Gospel Project on the community stage, and, as a special finale performance to bring in the new year on the main stage, Latin rock band Del Castillo.

For event details on Austin’s New Year, visit austintexas.gov/any.