Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pack Hemisfair Park Sunday night in a special New Year's Eve event which will kick off the city's 300th birthday celebration, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Tonya Baum of the Tricentennial Commission says the ceremony won't be anything new, as San Antonio has sponsored New Year's Eve celebrations at Hemisfair for decades, not to mention other major downtown attractions like Fiesta.
"We have hosted large major events previously, so the police department, along with TxDOT and other agencies are very familiar with the different plans that are in place," she said.
The celebration gets underway at 4PM Sunday afternoon, and the free event will include musical acts, a play area for kids, and a variety of other activities to get the city into the spirit of celebration.
"San Antonio loves to celebrate together, and we think with Tricentennial coming into the new year, and our birthday, we want everybody to be a part of that."
There will also be plenty to eat and drink, and a 'festive atmosphere' to get the Tricentennial off right.
Cold weather and a slight possibility of some snow is in the forecast, but organizers say its nothing that will dampen the celebration.
The Tricentennial gets into its stride in January, with 300th birthday events related to the annual MLK Day march and its associated Dreamweek, film and theater, western heritage events at the Stock Show and Rodeo, events sponsored by schools, churches, and civic groups like the San Antonio Symphony, and 300th anniversary events in conjunction with Fiesta in April.
In May, the actual anniversary of the opening of what was then the military outpost on the San Antonio River to civilian settlement, considered the founding of the city, will be celebrated.