Spectators will be treated to a spectacular Midnight Fireworks Display along the Chicago River to ring in the New Year, to be broadcast live on WGN-TV and streamed on wgntv.com.
WGN-TV and event producer Arena Partners announced today that Midnight Fireworks will return once again to the Chicago River with the largest New Year’s Eve fireworks display in the City’s history. A mile-long fireworks display will light up the iconic River corridor at Midnight as part of “Chicago’s Very Own New Year’s Eve Blast!”
The 11;30pm CT program will mark the first time that Chicago’s Very Own WGN-TV will host a live broadcast for New Year’s Eve, which will also be streamed live at wgntv.com/live. “We are thrilled to partner with the team at WGN-TV on this event” stated John Murray, CEO of Arena Partners, “as our hometown station, they care deeply about our City and want to showcase what makes Chicago and its residents so special.”
Hosts Ana Belaval, Sarah Jindra and Dean Richards will be broadcasting live form multiple sites along the River, including the Hyatt Regency Chicago hotel and Gibson’s Italia. Each venue offers front row viewing for the fireworks display, which will commence at Midnight.
Last year’s New Year’s Eve celebration delighted attendees and contributed an estimated $2.9 million in economic impact to the economy while promoting Chicago to millions of potential visitors. Organizers are promising to significantly step up the experience this year, with the addition of more launch points and pyrotechnic effects. Seven barge and bridge launch locations will provide a mile-long, choreographed display. The display and accompanying soundtrack will pay tribute to our city’s past, present, and future with references to our musical history, sports teams, and diversity.
Larger displays will anchor the East & West ends of the River and feature viewing areas with amplified sound for the synchronized musical soundtrack. In between, four River bridges will represent Chicago’s Flag with unique elements that dance up & down the river, honoring our City with a dazzling display featuring every color of the rainbow. A spectacular finale will bring all of the elements together to welcome the start of a brand-new decade for Condé Nast’s “Best Large City in the United States” for three years running.
The display will be free to view, courtesy of Enjoy Illinois, Choose Chicago, the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association, and other Official Partners of the event. A website NYEblast.com has been created to provide details about the event including launch locations, dining and party options, and hotel accommodations, including where to book guaranteed-view rooms for the fireworks.
Official Hotel Partners Hyatt Regency Chicago, Sheraton Grand Chicago, and Swissôtel Chicago are located in close proximity to the display launch points, offering guests beautiful views and plenty of entertainment options. Visitors and locals alike are encouraged to eat, drink and be merry at a variety of partner venues and events, including the NYE 2020 parties at Gibson’s Italia and Swissôtel, and a sensational dinner cruise aboard the Odyssey Chicago River.
“Hyatt Regency Chicago is proud to once again support this important tourism effort. We look forward to welcoming in the New Year with visitors from around the world.” said Patrick Donelly, General Manager of Hyatt Regency Chicago, the Founding Partner of the New Year’s Eve celebrations.
“With all of the amazing developments along the Chicago Riverwalk in recent years, it is only fitting that spectacular fireworks helping ring in the New Year have a home there,” said David Whitaker, President & CEO, Choose Chicago, “We are thrilled to collaborate with the other partners to add to our City’s celebration and welcome in 2020 as ‘The Year of Chicago Music’.”
To learn more about the Chicago New Year’s Eve River Fireworks Celebration and view a full list of all official partners and event options, please visit www.NYEblast.com
About Enjoy Illinois
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Office of Tourism manages industry efforts that result in sustainable and significant economic and quality-of-life benefits for Illinois residents. In 2018, Illinois hosted over 117 million visitors who spent over $41.7 billion. For more information, please visitwww.EnjoyIllinois.com.
About Choose Chicago
Choose Chicago is the official destination marketing organization for Chicago, Illinois. Our mission is to bring regional, national and international business and leisure visitors to Chicago for the economic benefit of the City, the community and our membership. Please visit us at www.ChooseChicago.com.
About Hyatt Regency Chicago
Hyatt Regency Chicago,the largest hotel in Chicago and largest Hyatt property in the world, features 2,032 guest rooms, 240,000 square feet of meeting and event space and five restaurants and lounges. The hotel is located at 151 East Wacker Drive in the heart of downtown.Hyatt Regency Chicagoborders the Magnificent Mile, Chicago’s Riverwalk, and is only blocks away from Chicago’s premier theatre, cultural, shopping and dining districts. For reservations, visit www.hyattregencychicago.com.
About WGN-TV
WGN-TV is Chicago’s Very Own source for news and entertainment. WGN News programs more local news than any other Chicago TV station and can be seen on WGN-TV, CLTV, WGNTV.com and the WGN-TV News app. In-depth local weather is available on all newscasts and the WGN-TV Weather app. WGN 9.2 is Chicago’s home of Nexstar Media Group’s classic TV network Antenna TV and WGN 9.3 is Chicago’s Court TV network affiliate. WGN 9.4 carries TBD, bringing the world of internet video to the TV screen. WGN-TV is a Nexstar Media Group station. For more information on Chicago’s Very Own WGN-TV, go to WGNTV.com
About Arena Partners
Arena Partners provides management consulting, business development and production management services. Founded in Chicago in 2014, Arena Partners serves a broad range of clients in the sports, media and entertainment industries. The firm is proud to partner with the City of Chicago and the hospitality industry, which employees more than 90,000 workers, to build on the successful efforts driving record tourism numbers to our hometown each year. For more information, please visit: www.getinthearena.com
