We are in mid-November and soon the preparations of New Year's Eve 2021 will begin. The beginning of the New Year is marked with much enthusiasm and major events across the world. One of the most famous events sees the magnificent display of fireworks in Melbourne, Australia. With Australian continent among the first one to reach the New Year, the fireworks display here sees an audience from across the world. It is one of the most anticipated events for everyone but because of the pandemic, the fireworks display has been cancelled. Instead, a two-day street food festival to encourage outdoor dining. Mayor Sally Capp confirmed that the fireworks will not take place. No New Year 2021 Celebrations in Bengaluru? BBMP Not in Favour of Gathering of Revellers Amid COVID-19, Plans to Impose Restrictions.

Called the New Year Street Feasts, they will take place at 11 precincts at more than 50 venues. So people can head out for dining outside and thus the traffic congregating at one place can be avoided. This festival is aimed at helping hospitality venues recover from the city's extended lockdown. And to ensure there is no crowding, there will be pre-bookings. The bookings will go on from November 23. So the idea is to attract crowds without brining mass crowds at once. The lockdown in the city was ended recently.

It will be a joint initiative of City of Melbourne, the state government and Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. To ensure that people have a good experience, the restaurants will be making a one-off menu, which may not be available again. Melbourne Food and Wine Festival chief executive Anthea Loucas Bosha said, "Restaurants will be spilling onto the streets of Melbourne, and creating one-off menus to make this new year's a very joyful celebration and to end a very difficult year in welcoming a new and exciting year, hopefully."

Cr Capp said in a statement, "There are still so many things to celebrate in terms of the resilience and the way that we as a community have responded to the worst health crisis that we've experienced in our lifetime. But then that sense of saying hello to 2021, optimism, a brighter future." Some of the precincts where the events will be held at Little Bourke Street, Little Collins Street, AC/DC Lane, Hardware Lane, Russell Street, Spring Street, Flinders Lane, Lonsdale Street, Market Lane, Domain Road and Docklands.

 

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 16, 2020 02:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).