Behind the Scenes with Forever Reggae TV at NY Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball Drop (part 2)
Ringing in The New Year By Hope Wilkos Blogger.
We have turned the pages of time to a brand new chapter in the Book of History; 2011, set to be a year of hope and optimism.
Although one of the worst snow blizzards on record on December 27th paralyzed New York City and threatened the festivities, all was well by the time ‘New Year’s Eve in Times Square’ began on December 31st. The temperature was recorded at a balmy 42 degrees which, ironically, made this New Year’s Eve celebration one of the most pleasant on record.
Security was extremely tight all the way to and including the Hudson River but that was no suprise for this resilient city. Eighteen blocks of New York City were jam-packed with millions of spirited people which could be compared to more than 65 countries with smaller populations than this enthusiastic crowd. Countries represented in the throng of people spanned from Australia, Brazil, Peru, France, Taiwan and cities all over the United States. There were smiles and great cheer everywhere you looked. Pure Fame Media/Forever Reggae TV was right there in the middle of all the action.
Musical events were going on at almost every block within the city. The large venues were at 230 Fifth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, and right in the heart of Times Square where it was a memorable reunion of Backstreet Boys with New Kids on the Block. Rocky of Forever Reggae TV was able to pose the question to the groups of “What are your New Year’s Eve Plans?” Answers included singing and burning down in New York City as well as just having fun!
Opening ceremonies began at 6:00 PM with the lighting and raising of the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball. The giant switch was flipped to light up the ball and begin its ascent accompanied by special pyrotechnic effects atop One Times Square.
The evening was partially sponsored by Nivea and Carnival Cruise Lines. The theme for this year was ‘Let there be Love’. Nivea provided the top hats and long blue balloons tied with silver mylar ribbons. The company handed out useful Nivea Lip Care products for that memorable midnight kiss.
As signified by the theme, there was a winning couple chosen to tie the knot on this unforgettable evening, Marine Corps reservists Bethany and Geoffrey. They met in Iraq and were engaged on a romantic Bahamian beach. Forever Reggae TV was able to speak with Bethany and see the excitement in her eyes right before she said her vows. Bethany was wearing a lovely white gown with a white fur wrap and feather hat covered in lace. Her bouquet was white and pink and almost as lovely as the bride herself.
Ringing in the New Year were all-time greats such as Carson Daly, Ryan Seacrest with Dick Clark and Anderson Cooper, each having their own shows on the various channels. Rocky of Forever Reggae TV was able to take a few minutes to speak with Anderson Cooper who is a big fan of Bob Marley.
The television audiences were fortunate enough to be entertained by all kinds of musical guests from Taio Cruz to K$sha to the songs of Green Day’s play ‘American Idiot’. They also had the chance to preview the long awaited Broadway newcomer, ‘Spiderman Turn Off the Dark’ which makes its official debut on Broadway on February 7th. Reeve Carney is one of the stars with U-2’s Bono and The Edge contributing the music and lyrics. It is a spectacular production of magical pop art, amazing music, musical theatre, rock and roll and opera all rolled into one great play.
The crowds looked back on 2010 with the help of one of the nation’s most respected television journalists, Brian Williams. The year 2010 was placed in a time capsule. Some of the highlights included:
January – 7.0 earthquake strikes and devastates Haiti killing over 230,000 people
May – Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf, the largest environmental tragedy in history
July – 33 Chilean miners trapped in an underground mine until October when all were safely rescued making history
November – Release of Wikileaks information having worldwide political effects
Justin Bieber topped the 2010 musical favorites while Jersey Shore and Modern Family topped the favorite television shows.
As the revelers were asked about 2011 resolutions, some of the responses were as follows:
Get fit and exercise regularly
Spend more time with loved ones
Get organized
Eat more organic foods
Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan were connected with their loved ones in New York City with the assistance of modern technology, the Apple I-Phone 4.0 and AT&T. It was emotional and heartwarming.
You could feel the anticipation in the air as you gazed up at the huge geodesic sphere ball. There were 288 newly designed “Let there be Love” crystal triangles featuring a romantic pattern that blended a modern cascade of hearts with diamond cutting. The ball was 12 feet in diameter and was shining 400 feet above Times Square. It holds 2688 Waterford crystals, 32,256 light bulbs and 16 million combinations of colors. The ball weighs approximately 6 tons.
Who better to take us out of the final moments of 2010 then the Honorable Mayor Michael Bloomberg? He graciously thanked visitors for bringing New York City, the greatest city in the world, back to life. He predicted that 2011 will be a good year but we must all pull together as a country and make our government work.
As the clock hit midnight and the start of a new year, millions of confetti streamers were everywhere! Horns could be heard for blocks and blocks along with a dazzling light show. Kisses and hugs were freely given and taken and the feeling at that moment was absolutely electrifying! You could hear the faint sound of “Start Spreading the News, New York, New York”……….
It was an amazing experience that sent shivers down the spine. As Bono so appropriately put it, “2011 will be the rediscovery of magic in the Idea of America”.
We totally enjoyed the moment as the clock struck midnight and we were right in the heart of all the activities! It was fabulous! Happy New Year to all our readers and subscribers who have made us what we are and Peace and Love to All!!!
Comments are closed.