The countdown is on, Toronto.
With New Year’s Day around the corner and a few hours until midnight, the city is celebrating the end of 2024. We checked in with revellers around town to see how they plan to ring in the new year.
Brenda Moores, 71, planned to spend the evening with her husband, daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren. The family visited the Royal Ontario Museum earlier in the afternoon before lacing up their skates to hit the ice at Harbourfront Centre where they will watch the fireworks at midnight.
“It’s nice. You don’t have to spend a lot of money. You can have fun doing things around town,” said Moores, who’s lived in Toronto since 2018. “It’s all about family.”
Jack Justice, 25, and Victoria Sarkisian, 23, are visiting the city for the first time from Tennessee, where they both attend university.
The couple is celebrating their first anniversary and will only be in town for less than a week, but say they’re excited to see the celebrations Toronto has to offer. They also plan on taking in the Harbourfront fireworks.
“This is our first winter holiday together, said Justice. “She was saying before we left, ‘It doesn’t matter where we go as long as we spend it together,’ and that touched me.”
Sarkisian added: “We’re spending quality time together and seeing something new in Toronto.”
Philip Suos, 42, is the founder of Street Eats, which runs Winterfest Toronto at Harbourfront Centre. He said he expects to see about 200,000 people tonight.
“We’re expecting around 200,000 folks coming down to the waterfront area, but here specifically at Harborfont Centre we’re expecting around 65,000 people.”
Suos says he’s ecstatic to contribute to creating memories for people who come downtown to watch the fireworks.
“It’s an absolutely amazing opportunity to be a part of the winter celebrations here,” he said. “We’re thrilled to be a part of it and thankful to be partnered with Harbourfront Centre to bring the entertainment here.”
David Rochin, 42, runs Canokie Foods and has a booth at the Harbourfront Centre selling burgers and doughnuts. He expects a large attendance and hopes New Year’s Eve will increase sales.
Rochin ran a concession stand at Harbourfront Centre for several weeks over the summer and has had a booth at many festivals this year. However, this is his first year at Winterfest, and he says it’s exciting to see the many smiles.
“It’s packed, and a lot of people like coming out here,” he said.
A couple of blocks north of Harbourfront Centre, others are spending their evening skating at the Cavalcade of Lights at Nathan Phillips Square before heading home for midnight. Families surrounded the ice, taking videos of their loved ones.
Terrance Akiwi, 30, and Fontana Perkins, 22, skated together for the first time. Perkins, from California, had never hit the ice before. The couple planned on going to the Rec Room arcade later in the night with a friend.
“Last year and the year before that was without her, so it was all sucky and boring,” Akiwi said. “Now, she’s in my life, so it will be the best one yet.”
Sulim Ashmat, 17, moved from Afghanistan this past summer, so this is his first New Year’s Eve in Toronto. Before moving to the city, he used to see videos and photos of New Year’s Eve celebrations in Toronto, and he says he’s exhilarated to participate in his first one.
Ashmat describes 2024 as “a year of opportunity,” and he hopes to carry his good experiences into 2025.
“It’s going to be so much fun having a New Year’s night in Toronto,” he said.
