A mystical, once-in-a-lifetime event happening in your own backyard that doesn’t involve long lines or crowds of people sounds like the perfect way to celebrate New Year’s Eve, doesn’t it? Hosted by the Metuchen Downtown Alliance and the Borough of Metuchen, this incredibly unique celebration (complete with a multitude of heat lamps to keep you warm and toasty, and hot chocolate brought to you by Cai’s Cafe) will have you foregoing any and all future plans to make the trek out to New York to celebrate this momentous occasion. Experience a night of fantastical LED light show and fire dancing entertainment accompanied by delicious food served up at local restaurants at the grand opening of the Town Plaza, and ring in 2018 the RIGHT way. Besides experiencing the already-awesome FireMagick dancers and light show, the MDA and Borough of Metuchen have so much more planned for you, so make sure you keep reading and get HYPED for New Year’s Eve!

This celebration is for visitors of all ages – so parents, make sure to bring the little ones for all of the family fun events that are in store! From 5pm to 8pm, kids are welcome to join 2 Chicks with Chocolate in their chocolate painting activities, create their own custom bags of savory goodness at Lollipop Land’s popcorn bar, and participate in ArteVino’s open painting studio session. You definitely will want to stop by New Street at 7pm, as well, to see the Metuchen Fire Department start the New Year’s countdown with a very special balloon drop! But you can’t have fun on an empty stomach! Make sure to pop into Cais’ Cafe and What’s The Scoop for food and drink specials to keep the children’s spirits and energies high. 

If you’re looking for more meal options throughout the night, Hailey’s Harp & Pub, Novita Bistro & Lounge, Pearl Street Cafe, and Torino 2 will all be offering special prix-fixe menu options all day, while The Greek on Main, Cafe Paris, Phattra Thai Restaurant, Sushi Suzuki, and The Bishop’s Bistro will be featuring special menu items that you don’t want to miss out on! Make sure to call ahead and reserve your seating so you can take advantage of these tasty deals. 

The real fun doesn’t begin until 8pm, however, when Jimmy Chiappa (of Jimmy’s Artistic Creations) creates an ice sculpture right in front of your very eyes! Did we mention that he’s doing so with a CHAINSAW? That’s right, folks, be amazed as you watch beauty come to life out of destruction! The festivities don’t end just there, either. While you’re wandering around, you’ll be sure to catch special LED Dance Performances all night long, courtesy of FireMagick! These performers will be walking all over Downtown Metuchen with light-up hula-hoops, poi, fans, and levitating wands that will ensure that they put on a whimsical show full of spectacular optical illusions. Be sure to catch their fire dance performances between 9:30pm and 9:50pm, as well as 11:30pm to 11:50pm! You can join in the dancing fun, too, while Ultimate Entertainment spins the hottest tracks during their DJ Dance Party all night! Bring your best moves so you can rival your friends and maybe even be a match for the LED Performers. Don’t forget to hang around until midnight so that you can wave 2017 “goodbye” in style with a spectacular fire-breathing finale performance!   

When you need a dance break, visit Little Detour Vintage Photo Booth and create memories that will last all the way into the New Year! This is no ordinary photo booth, however – Little Detour is New Jersey’s first vintage photo booth camper and lounge that offers a unique and classic setup to ensure an exceptional photo experience. Or ring in 2018 with a twist and grab some champagne cotton candy from Asbury Park Cotton Candy Co! 

With so many fantastical happenings taking place and drawing in so many spectators, you’re probably worried about finding a good parking spot, right? Lucky for you, there is plenty of FREE parking available for up to 400 cars in the Nexus Lot on Pearl Street, and even more spaces available in the Halsey Lot, too. This New Year’s Eve just keeps getting better and better!

We bet you’ve never experienced ANY New Year’s celebration this magical, so now is your chance to partake in the event of a lifetime! Plan a trip with your friends and family to Metuchen, and enjoy this annual milestone. Don’t forget to say a special thanks to all of those who have made New Year’s on the Plaza possible – without them, this incredible celebration wouldn’t be possible!