We Have NO Ball - the Blogalog Continues!

In an ongoing discussion with @projectmaven Deborah Pannell, we look at the differences between events in New York and Vancouver, and as New Year's approached, where I was up the coast in Sechelt, a quaint community only reached by ferry where we celebrate with neighbours at a beach party and launch fireworks at New York New Year's (letting those with children have fun and then still get home at a decent time) I realized, we have no ball.

Heading down to the "beach shack" for the party

Times Square for as long as I can remember has owned New Year's Eve. Millions of people join in via live feed to count down New York time, even though only a slice of the people watching live in that time zone. A perfect example of Event Marketing - make your place the "go to" place!

While I plan large events all the time, I have to say that I don't really like being in the midst of large crowds, perhaps it was all the risk management training I have done and knowing the seven ways crowds move... However my friends who have experienced NYNY have said it is one of their most memorable experiences EVER and would do it again!

In Vancouver there is no first night, no central gathering, no ball. There are instead snowshoe hikes and fondues, warm homes with friends and gourmet dinners, restaurants and nightclubs full of revellers, and even a special occasion venue or three hosting an event of their own. Would it be cool to have a ball? Of course! I would also like to have the tree like they have at Rockefeller Centre, but these, the famous window displays, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parage, these are part of the magic of New York and we wouldn't want to compete with that!

We are lucky here, we can celebrate with NY at 9pm, and then celebrate again at midnight in our own time zone! What we do have, all around Vancouver and the areas nearby, ios the opportunity to wake up on New Year's Day and enjoy that first cup of coffee with this kind of view!




The view on New Year's Day