It promises to be the rising star of the show.
Come midnight on Saturday, Cool Spring Downtown District organizers will once again raise what they are calling “a large radiant multi-colored star into the sky” to ring in the new year.
This will be the second year for the manufactured star that will be raised as the community celebrates the official launch of 2023.
“We’re going to be raising a star and lifting it up into the night for New Year’s Eve, bringing up the 2023 new year,” said the district’s Lauren Falls.
According to the Cool Spring Downtown District website, the star “will be visible from a distance, illuminated by a spectacular burst of fireworks” to cap off “Night Circus: A District New Year’s Eve Spectacular.”
The city’s second annual New Year’s Eve event – featuring headliner Tony! Toni! Tone! – is scheduled to run from 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. at Festival Park.
Admission is free.
Ashanti Bennett, director of special projects for the downtown district, said people adored the city symbol when it was raised last year.
“I think people liked the idea of raising something rather than dropping something. People were very delighted.”
Bianca Shoneman, the president and CEO of the Cool Spring Downtown District, said the metal-and-colored fiberglass panels on the 18-foot star are embedded with 150 multi-colored LED lights.
Shoneman was on site Friday with other members of her team as workers loaded the audio, video and lighting onto the Festival Park stage.
As the clock ticks down to 2023, the five-pointed star will be raised by a crane 100 feet in front of the stage. The prop was given a trial run Friday morning, which Shoneman said went well.
“We made it better,” she said. “It’s not going to make it as high.”
Later in the afternoon, it could be seen behind the stage, leaning against a cinder-block storage building.
Other special attractions are planned during the night to complete the carnival-like atmosphere of “Night Circus: A District New Year’s Eve Spectacular.” Stilt walkers, fire dancers and roving magicians will complement the theme.
Food and beverages will be sold on site.
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The new jack swing-era Tony! Toni! Tone! is an Oakland-based trio that rang up a dozen or so Top 10 rhythm and blues and hip-hop hits from 1988 through 1996. Those chart hits included the ecstatic crossover chart maker “Feels Good.”
Some music fans may remember that the group contributed to the soundtracks to the popular movies “House Party II” and “Boyz n the Hood.’’
Heavy thunderstorms are expected to develop in the afternoon for Saturday, according to online forecasts.
“It’s a rain or shine event,” Shoneman said. “It might be a liittle wet in the morning, but by the time the curtain lifts, the weather will be perfect.”
