Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Blast in the New Year at Buckingham Fountain

On New Year's Eve, spend the day at Grant Park learning about art and culture, and then welcome in the New Year at night with a fireworks spectacular at Buckingham Fountain. A variety of activities are taking place during the day at museums in Grant Park, which is referred to as Chicago's front yard and located less than two miles away from the Chicago Radisson Hotel and Suites. At night, see Chicago all lit up when the New Year bursts in at Buckingham Fountain.

On Dec. 31, go to the Art Institute at Grant Park and listen to talks on the Institute's highlights and the 'Masterpiece of the Day,' the Shiva Nataraja. In addition, artist-in residence Yang Hui Tang will be on hand to discuss her Silk Road landscape paintings.

New Year's Eve is also the next-to-last day that the 'Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs' exhibit will be displayed in Chicago before leaving for Philadelphia. Come to the Field Museum and see how the Boy King lived.

Or, dip into Shedd: the World's Aquarium and visit some of the 22,000 animals that live there. At special exhibits, visitors can learn about the Caribbean, get up close to sharks or take a virtual travel tour through the world's waters.

No matter how you choose to spend your New Year's Day at Grant Park, make sure you go to Buckingham Fountain at night for a fabulous fireworks display. They'll be a huge display of color and light as fireworks choreographed to music go off. Look up to see them or view their reflections in Lake Michigan.

Information on Fireworks at Buckingham Fountain
December 31
Free
Music at 10:00 p.m., Fireworks begins at 11:40 p.m.
Buckingham Fountain, 337 E. Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60611