6 Things to Know about New Year’s Eve on the Square

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — With Tuesday being the last day of 2019, Knoxville is ringing in 2020 in style.

Here are some things to know about the big celebration in Market Square:

Holidays on Ice start early

The Holidays on Ice open-air ice skating rink, presented by Home Federal Bank, is open 1 p.m. – 10 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.

Performers take the stage at 10 p.m.

The free, all-ages celebration begins at 10 p.m. with The Bicho Brothers performing classic rock favorites on the Market Square stage.

Performances begin at 10 p.m.

RELATED | New Year’s Eve in East Tennessee: Parties, celebrations & more

Road closures

Drivers should note the temporary on-street parking and road closures around Market Square. Parking on Wall Ave will be prohibited starting at 3 p.m., and the road will be closed 5 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Parking on Union Avenue between Walnut and Gay streets and Market Street between Union and Clinch avenues, ends at 7 p.m. Those streets will be closed between 9 p.m. and 12:30 a.m.

Free parking options

Free parking after 6 p.m. is available in all city-owned garages, including Market Square, Locust Street, State Street, City County Building and Dwight Kessel.

MAP | For a map of available garages and lots, click here.

WATE will be there on the Square

WATE 6 On Your Side Anchors Kristin Farley and Bo Williams will be there on the Square to help celebrate with live reports for the evening newscasts – and will go live for the 11 p.m. newscast.

There it goes! pic.twitter.com/wLZkWPQ5tv

— Elizabeth Kuebel (@elizabethkuebel) December 31, 2019

Group singalong at midnight

The countdown to midnight begins at 11:55 p.m., followed by the ball drop, fireworks and a group singalong of “Auld Lang Syne.”

Need the lyrics (or the first 2 verses usually sung on New Year’s Eve) of “Auld Lang Syne?” Here they are:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my jo,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

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