Will the Austin New Year’s Eve 2012 Celebration Be the Best Yet?

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Click on the Play button on the podcast player above to listen to this week’s episode of the Austinot Podcast.

It’s time to ring in 2013, and this year’s City of Austin New Year’s Eve celebration is massive! We want to say up front that this event is free, which becomes almost unbelievable when you see how much is involved.

Here’s what’s in store for you if you take part in New Year’s Eve at Auditorium Shores (at S. 1st St. and Riverside Dr.):

• Main Stage with five Austin bands from 5-10 PM
• Youngbloods of Austin Music from 5-9:30 PM, which showcases talented up-and-comers from the local scene
• Culturally diverse performances from groups like the Flying Balalaika Brothers (who we’ve seen at Eastside Showroom – they were awesome!)
• Austin Film Buffet showing film selections from groups like the Austin Film Society and SXSW
• Interactive art installations and creative performances like Web of Wishes and Catapult into 2013 (yes, a real catapult is involved)
• Tented food court
• Fireworks finale at 10 PM

Visit this page for the full entertainment schedule.

Del Castillo will be performing on the Main Stage at 9 PM

Transportation Tips

1. Avoid driving. There’s no parking at Auditorium Shores and you can’t park in the surrounding areas.
2. If you must drive, there are two paid parking garages to consider: City Hall at 301 W. 2nd or One Texas Center at 505 Barton Springs.
3. Consider taking your bike. Better yet, rent an electric bike from Rocket Electrics and have the time of your life buzzing around on a bike that you don’t have to pedal!
4. Public transportation through CapMetro is always a good alternative. Did you know that fares are free after 6 PM on New Year’s Eve?

Just to make it clear, this event ends at 10:30 PM. The fireworks are at 10 PM, not midnight, so you’ll be disappointed if you arrive late! The good news is that you have time to celebrate with Austin at Auditorium Shores before going to a second celebration for midnight!

Don’t forget to listen to our actual podcast episode by clicking on the Play button at top of this page. This article is just a summary of all that you’ll see at the Austin New Year’s Eve celebration. The juicy details are in the podcast! Thanks for listening!

@QuasiBrit asks:

How do you think this year’s celebration will stack up to previous years? Will it be the best City of Austin New Year’s event yet?

Photos via Flickr CC, courtesy of Ryan Joy and Steven Leggett.