City of Rochester officials are getting ready for New Year’s Eve celebrations, but they won’t include fireworks.
City Hall spokesman Justin Roj says among the reasons for that is that the weather that time of year can be iffy in terms of an outdoor event, and also, this is the second year of Roc Holiday Village, which has a number of activities at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park at Manhattan Square.
"One of those things where…we’ve got a family celebration, we’ve got a great new celebration in Roc Holiday Village, and evening fireworks on New Year’s; while I think people were somewhat excited about that, attendance over the years wasn’t what we would have hoped for that celebration and we’re looking at a way to refocus and kind of make use of the Holiday Village to bring new life to New Year’s Eve downtown,” Roj said.
ROC Holiday Village was extended this year to include the New Year ’s Eve holiday.
Roc Holiday Village includes a Shopping Village, Santa’s Workshop, free photos with Santa, free ice skating and ice events, holiday celebrations, live music, The Lodge Bar and Restaurant with rotating pop-restaurants, food trucks, and other activities.
Last year, when the city talked about canceling the fireworks, private donors offered to pay for them, but high winds ended up canceling them anyway.
Rochester will also have family friendly activities on New Year ’s Eve at the Riverside Convention Center on Main St. downtown.
