The party of New Year 2023 New York’s iconic Times Square is back to normal this Saturday after two years of covid-19, which resulted in the event being held in greatly reduced capacity in 2020 and some restrictions being maintained in 2021.
The local police said so there is no “credible” threat against the city, but will deploy thousands of agents throughout the central area of manhattan and will control access to the “crossroads of the world”, where concerts can be attended before the traditional descent of the crystal ball at midnight.
AIM: 9 things that happened for the first time in the year 2022
This December 31st, Times Square will be able to reach its maximum capacity for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic: in 2020 only a small group of frontline workers attended and in 2021 the capacity was reduced to 15,000 people, well below the usual 60,000.
“This proves that we survived, that we are overcoming the pandemic, finding a new normal, moving forward not backwards, and that the new year brings much hope,” one of the organizers, Tom Harris, president of the Times Square Alliance, told CBS.
However, Safety requirements will be applied that represent a barrier for many, starting with cold tolerance: people arrive early to get a good seat before the festivities kick off at 6pm, even though there are many blocked roads and only four entry points.
Furthermore, it is forbidden to bring bulky backpacks, umbrellas, chairs and alcoholic beverages, among other things, to enter the venue.and those who leave the premises before midnight are not guaranteed to return, according to the police station recalled in a message on Twitter.
In any case, the authorities New York they do not apply restrictions for overseas events nor will they ask for proof of vaccination against coronavirusaccording to current legislation. The nearly six-hour event will be led by a musical lineup in which Chelsea Cutler and JVKE stand out, far from other New Year’s Eve divas such as Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera or Mariah Carey, and will be broadcast by a multitude of television channels.
