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Start the New Year with a Bang

By Ben Fractenberg | December 29, 2012 9:19am
 There will be fireworks shows in both Prospect Park and Central Park on New Year's Eve.
There will be fireworks shows in both Prospect Park and Central Park on New Year's Eve.
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DNAinfo/Paul Lomax

NEW YORK CITY — New Yorkers looking to ring in 2013 with a bang can catch fireworks shows in Central Park, Prospect Park, Times Square and New York Harbor this New Year's Eve.

The festivities in Brooklyn will kick off in Grand Army Plaza about 11 p.m. There will be DJs spinning and a complimentary glass of hot chocolate or sparkling cider. Mud Truck, Wafels & Dinges and Rickshaw Truck will be parked at the plaza from 10:30 p.m. to 12:25 a.m. serving snacks.

The best spots to catch the fireworks, which are shot off from the Long Meadow at midnight, include Grand Army Plaza, the West Drive in the park and along Prospect Park West between Grand Army Plaza and 9th Street.

And those who want to burn off their last meal of 2012 can take part in the Brooklyn New Year's Eve 5K Run, which starts at 11:15 p.m. at Prospect Park West and 9th Street. The race is open to runners, walkers and even families with strollers. It costs $30 to register through Dec. 30 and $40 to sign up the day of the race. 

If you want to see fireworks without trekking to Brooklyn, spend New Year's Eve in Central Park near 72nd Street.

The show starts at the stroke of midnight to kick off the annual Emerald Nuts Midnight Run on the 72nd Street transverse near Bethesda Fountain. Race registration is already closed, but you can cheer on the runners with a cup of warm cider. Grab a spot on the promenade near 72nd Street or as close to the starting line as possible for a good view of the fireworks show.

Earlier in the night, the celebration will begin at the Central Park Bandshell — located on the promenade just south of the 72nd Street transverse — with a dance party at 10 p.m. and costume parade at 11 p.m.

The most crowded fireworks display Monday night will be in Times Square, where thousands will gather to watch the ball drop, followed by confetti and pyrotechnics. Times Square from West 42nd to West 47th Streets starts to fill up by 3 p.m., so get there early.

There will also be a private fireworks display from a barge next to the Statue of Liberty at midnight on New Year's Eve. Bateaux New York is offering a closeup view with a dinner cruise featuring live Jazz. Tickets start at $550.

To see the show for free, head to the waterfront at Battery Park in Manhattan or Red Hook in Brooklyn. The show is scheduled to last about 20 minutes.

Monday night is forecast to be partly cloudy with lows around 30 degrees, according to AccuWeather.com, so conditions should be good for watching the show.