MIAMI, Fla. – The omicron variant is causing New Year’s Eve celebrations around the country to be canceled in some areas. But that’s not the case in the city of Miami where officials are moving forward with a celebration at Bayfront Park.
Joe Carollo, city commissioner and chairman of the Bayfront Park Management Trust, fired back at critics who questioned the return of the event during the ongoing pandemic as he spoke at a press conference on Thursday.
“This event, as you can see, is in open air. We’re right by the water with a breeze. It’s a big difference being an open air,” Carollo said.
Event producer Tony Alvelo said that there are precautions in place. “We have 50 sanitizing stations throughout the park and, of course, everyone is encouraged to wear a mask, if they choose. It is not mandated in the city, in the state, but that’s up to every individual,” Alvelo said.
Carollo added: “Those are the decision that individuals have to make if they want to watch it at home or if they want to come here.”
Organizers and law enforcement said they have worked together on a plan for safety and crowd control.
“We are very confident that we have a robust safety plan for the safety of all the attendees that want to come,” said Interim Chief of Miami Police Manny Morales.
Bayfront Park will be open throughout the day Friday, but once the sun goes down, the party begins.
Alvelo said the music will start at 6 p.m. and continue through midnight with performances from Cuban superstars Gente De Zona, and Willy Chirino, just to name a few.
Carollo announced Thursday that for the first time, the show will air in Cuba on TV Marti, the U.S. funded broadcasting channel transmitting to the island.
“We’re gonna be able to have hundreds of thousands of people in South Florida that are gonna be able to watch it and many more of that throughout other parts of the world,” Carollo said.
He also touted Miami’s high-tech capability. While the Big Orange won’t rise up the side of the Intercontinental Hotel as it usually does each year, this year a digitized laser Big Orange will be created with a traditional countdown clock.
Dear residents and visitors - please be advised that the City of Miami’s Big Orange is cancelled this year. In the spirit of the Big Orange, a digitized laser Big Orange will be created with the traditional countdown clock. pic.twitter.com/uNaJKoN9rI
— City of Miami (@CityofMiami) December 28, 2021
“Miami’s high-tech so we’re going high-tech with the orange,” Carollo said.
For those planning to brave the crowds and come to Bayfront, organizers are telling people to leave the car at home rather than having to try to find parking by taking public transportation or using share ride services.
Ahead of the holiday this year, the police department is also reminding residents to avoid the dangerous practice of firing a weapon into the air to ring in the New Year.
If what goes up must come down and that is a bullet, it is an extremely dangerous situation, police said.