FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - As the clock ticks closer to midnight on Dec. 31, organizers across South Florida are making final preparations to ring in 2023 in style.
7News cameras on Thursday captured barricades stacked up and ready for crews to use to block off a section of Fort Lauderdale for the city’s Downtown Countdown on Saturday.
A lighted anchor will drop to mark the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023.
Revelers will be able to watch the anchor drop near Southwest Second Street and Fifth Avenue.
The party is set to start at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.
The anchor is decked out with almost 12,000 LED lights and weighs more than 700 pounds.
Down the street along Las Olas Boulevard, businesses are preparing for big crowds on New Year’s Eve, including Bo’s Pub along the 1300 block.
“New Year’s Eve, we are the place to be down here in Las Olas,” said Emily Dall, director of operations for PDKN Restaurant Group.
Celebrations will be happening throughout Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
“And then you can come upstairs to this great nightclub, $20.23, 9 o’clock till the clock strikes midnight,” said Dall. “We’ve got a big party up here.”
Organizers are preparing for a big bash in downtown Miami as well.
Crews on Thursday continued setting up the concert stage at Bayfront Park for their free New Year’s Eve bash.
People will be able to enjoy music from 24 performers, fireworks and a digital Big Orange.
“This year’s event is even bigger than last year’s,” said City of Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo.
Wherever they choose to countdown the new year, revelers in South Florida plan to be out and about to say goodbye to 2022
“We’ve been preparing this event for months. We’ve got live music downstairs that we’re going to be doing, plus we’ve got a DJ up here,” said Dall. “We’re doing a Champagne toast, we’ve got party favors. It’s the place to be if you want to have some fun.”
For more information about New Year’s Eve events in Broward, click here. For Miami-Dade, click here.
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