As the New Year begins, Experience Columbia LLC is planning to help bring in 2020 with a pop on Saturday.
That night will feature live music and a fireworks show, plus events downtown throughout the day.
Jacob Harrison with Experience Columbia said activities such as ice skating and Santa’s Workshop will be open most of the day. Toward the evening the Grinch train, tram and trolley will also be running. There will also be a full line of food vendors.
Also during the afternoon will be the Columbia Gearheads Cruise-In from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m.
The evening festivities will begin around 7 p.m., and the band Troy Laz & 2 Hipnotic will be performing. They are a cover band that performs new and older hits.
And before the night is over there will be a fireworks show plus some planned surprises, Harrison said.
He said the event will be similar to the New Year’s celebration last year, which drew an estimated 10,000 people. However, unlike last year, there will be no charge for sitting in any area.
Parking will be the same as it was the night of the Christmas parade on the east side of Main Street near the churches and schools.
Harrison also said Mississippi’s new governor, Tate Reeves, has been invited to attend but has not confirmed yet if he will be there.
This Christmas season has seen a large influx of people both day and night downtown to participate in the various activities. One of the biggest draws has been the outdoor ice skating rinks on Second Street by Main Street. Harrison said during the day many from Marion County have been enjoying the rink, but it appears more in the evenings are coming from out of town.
There is also now a tram running as well as decorations, which have been set out at both the City Park and Bluff Street Park.
The festivities are the culmination of a month-long series of holiday events that are partially funded by $250,000 from the city’s 3% tourism tax that voters approved in a 2019 referendum.
