Preparations under way for New Year's Festival

With horse-drawn rides, cross-country skiing and the traditional bonfire and fireworks, this years New Years Festival celebration will ring in 2005 with a host of activities from noon to midnight on Friday, Dec. 31.This year, the New Years Festival will feature new presentations, including an international observance of midnight every hour from 8 p.m. to the local time zones midnight observance.At 8 p.m., the dropping of a lighted ball will observe midnight in Ponta del Gada in the Azores; at 9 p.m., the crowd can celebrate along with Rio de Janiero, Brazil; at 10 p.m., with Stanley in the Falkland Islands; and at 11 p.m., with Halifax, Nova Scotia.In Schouler Park in North Conway, the crowd can enjoy lighting of the traditional bonfire and the descent of a lighted ball at midnight. Cranmore Mountain Resort will present fireworks shows at 7:30 p.m. and midnight.The calendar of events has many other activities to add to the celebration, from horse-drawn rides and cross-country skiing and skating, to indoor activities ranging from chamber music to bluegrass, Celtic folk and jazz. An expanded look at theschedule of events is planned for the Weekender section of Friday's Conway Daily Sun.The horse-drawn rides will be moved from the past location of Hussey Field on River Road to the Hussey Farm number one on West Side Road. This is the farm where the famous Percheron horses are housed, and the Husseys have opened their back field to New Years Festival participants for old-fashioned horse-drawn rides with a view of Mount Washington.The New Years Festival committee continues to offer the festival button for only $5. Children five and under with an adult are admitted free. Buttons can be purchased at Berlin City Bank, Bank of New Hampshire, Laconia Savings Bank, Hannaford, North Conway, Shaws Supermarket, and Sids Valley Food and Beverage, as well as the Mount Washington Valley Chambers information booth.A full schedule of events and other information is available at www.mwvevents.com.Schedules are subject to change and Mother Nature likes to keep her hand in the mix, so please be sure to listen to WMWV 93.5 on New Years Eve morning for any updates or changes in schedule.Volunteers interested in helping out during the celebration should contact Carolyn Brown at Carolyns Tailor Shop at 356-2768.