During New Year's eve, in the big cities, do they usually have a party on the streets?

New Years Day is a holiday, and for most occupations, there is no work that day. The New Year’s street celebration that is most famous is Times Square in New York City. That is televised across the country; people will watch the ball drop. Many cities have their own outdoor gatherings, but most Americans celebrate New Years at home or at a private party.

I need a celebration, where it requires people to be on the streets at night. But the next day, it will be an ordinary day. I’m also particular with what city this occurs. I would love to use New York city as my setting in my writing. However, I may also require a city that’s partly quiet at night and seems lonely at night. Like Los Angeles. Has anyone seen the movie colateral, Tom Cruise and Jaimie Foxx? I would like a setting like that.

I will have to agree that times square is the most famous, but in chicago they also have a party outside.

@life, New York is a great big city, and only the Times Square section in the borough of Manhattan actually has the huge celebration in the streets – and that’s mainly for the tourists. That area is maybe only a few blocks up or down and a couple of blocks across.

New Yorkers themselves are either at a party or at home. The outer boroughs (Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island) are rather quiet during New Year’s.

@iAManEXPERT chicago seems to be a great area. I had it in mind to use it, before. Still need to do more research though. @aprilsimnel Thanks for that information, I wouldn’t have known that about the New Yorkers’ that they prefer parties or celebrating it at home. I could certainly use either of the four boroughs you mentioned. I wouldn’t have known they’re quiet during that night.
One little problem, I would need that the next day would have been a normal day, I’m not quite sure I can use New year’s eve. So any celebrations you know? Doesn’t necessarily need to be in New York. Just a metropolitan area. But NY would be my first choice.

Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Perhaps St. Patrick’s Day in Boston?

Parties in the streets in nearly every city and tourist destination in California; San Diego, the “city streets’ section of Disneyland; many areas of the Los Angeles megaplex; Sacramento, Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, and many other parts of the “bay area” and I’m sure many more I’m not aware of.

By 2 January, everyone’s back to normal. But on 1 January, New Year’s Day itself? Some people would have gone to work, mainly in the restaurants and stores and movie theaters, places like that. Everyone else would take the day off. Lots of football games on telly and most just having a nice rest (or nursing a hangover) or going out to eat, doing some shopping, that sort of thing. And of course, there’d be no school that day.

@aprilsimnet thats what I feared, it will be on January 2, that people will resume their normal working days. I wanted the office work setting. Its hard to add an additional day in my writing. I really wanted New Year’s eve. @PandoraBoxx Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day sounds good, as an option.@Yarnlady I could use california too. But New york seems to be my first choice.

Could it be a tickertape parade for someone? Thanksgiving parade day?

Possibly Atlantic Avenue iin Delray Beach, FL. I have been to South Beach during new years, but I don’t think any streets were closed. Atlantic Avenue in Delray does close the streets for other festivals during the year, so I am thinking it might on New Years?

Here is a link http://www.downtowndelraybeach.com/site.php?PageID=5 hope it helps.

We have a huge block party every New Year’s Eve in Tempe, Arizona. Insight Fiesta Bowl Block Party