For its third annual New Year’s Eve countdown party at Grand Park next week, the Music Center will include its own performance venue plaza atop Bunker Hill as space for a music stage and other activities, organizers said.
The Music Center, which operates Grand Park and organizes its events throughout the year, has billed the countdown party as Los Angeles’ own centralized gathering for residents and visitors to greet the new year.
The festivities begin at 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and end New Year’s Day at 1 a.m.
As in the past two years, the countdown will be projected onto the side of Los Angeles City Hall in 3D animation created by the Los Angeles design firm yU+co, with additional projections throughout the night illuminating City Hall, the County Hall of Records and Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
This will be the first year the Music Center Plaza — already a popular spot for viewing the countdown — will be fully incorporated into the event.
“This year we have the opportunity to re-imagine the use of the Music Center Plaza and make it a centerpiece of our New Year’s Eve experience,” Grand Park Director Lucas Rivera said. “People will not only able to dance on the plaza and interact with the animated light projections on the Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, but have an amazing vantage point to view this incredible spectacular with light projections on three major downtown L.A. buildings,” he said.
The Grand Park countdown drew an estimated 40,000 people last year, with organizers anticipating even more attendees this year.
The addition of a section of Grand Avenue and the Music Center Plaza increases the event space from 84 acres to 90 acres, which includes 12 acres of Grand Park, the plaza and surrounding streets.
The alcohol-free event will feature 30 food vendors and three music stages showcasing several genres, including rock, Latin alternative, indie pop and electronic. Performers include pop band Hunter Hunted, dance pop singer Gavin Turek and disc jockeys Chris Douridas, Rani De Leon and Louis Vivet.
Added this year are three art installations featuring a contemporary dance piece, a shadow puppet gallery and light displays showing New Year’s- themed messages.
The night’s entertainment and activities are organized by the same teams that put together Grand Park’s year-round cultural events, the park’s annual July 4th fireworks show and the Music Center’s community arts programs.
