CHICAGO — Making plans to attend Chicago’s portion of “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”?
The televised countdown and Downtown festivities, led by South Side native Chance the Rapper, are a first for the city and will kick off 7 p.m. Wednesday, according to a city press release.
Here’s everything you need to know:
The event will take place along the Downtown Riverwalk, from Wells to Lake. The main performance stage will be at Wacker Drive and Franklin Street.
Entry for the festivities begins 5 p.m. Wednesday. Attendees can enter and exit from the performance area on Wacker Drive, west of Wells and east of Lake.
All attendees will be required to go through security checkpoints and have their bags checked. Bags should be no larger than 12-by-6 inches.
Gates will close once the area reaches capacity.
The live broadcast will begin airing 7 p.m. on ABC-7 Chicago. A special ART on THE MART display will be shown 7-9 p.m., with main-stage performances to begin after.
A five-minute fireworks display will begin just before midnight, set off from bridges between Orleans and Columbus on the river. The best spots to watch the fireworks will be on Upper Wacker Drive from McClurg Court to Franklin Street, according to the city.
Downtown street closures for the New Year’s Eve festivities begin 10 a.m. Monday. Various Downtown bridges will be closed from 11:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. related to the fireworks. The Chicago River will also be closed to boat traffic from 11:30 p.m. to 12:15 a.m.
For closure updates and other event details, check out the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communication social media.
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