2007 Press Release: New Year's Eve Celebration Adds Radio Disney Event

For immediate release
November 14, 2007

According to New Year’s Eve Chairman and Special Events Commissioner Jim Wozny, the fifth annual Des Plaines New Year’s Eve on the Plaza, held in downtown Des Plaines and at several nearby satellite locations, has a few new surprises this year including a special children’s show presented by the Radio Disney Party Patrol (AM 1300).

The Radio Disney Party Patrol will kick off the start of the celebration from 6:00 pm until 7:30 pm at the historic Des Plaines Theatre, 1476 Miner Street.

The Holiday "happening" that has quickly become one of the signature events sponsored by the City of Des Plaines Special Events Commission, a group of local volunteers appointed by the Mayor with City Council approval, is a fun filled free family event, that offers residents of all ages an opportunity to welcome in the New Year right in their own home town.

Under Jim Wozny’s lead, the New Year’s Eve Committee, consisting of Linda Forman (Special Events Chairman), Special Events Commissioners Mary Klabacha and Joyce Solvig have worked diligently to secure sponsorships and coordinate activities for the evening.

"To date, just over 130 local Des Plaines businesses have donated gift certificates and/or monetary amounts to support this year’s event. This truly is a family event, free to the community. It just goes to prove what great local businesses Des Plaines has," Wozny said.

The idea for New Year’s Eve on the Plaza originated with Mayor Tony Arredia who felt very strongly that the community should host a nonalcoholic New Year’s Eve event that would be family oriented. The Mayor expressed his interests to the Special Events Commission, a group of appointed volunteers, and they began making the idea a reality.

"Our first New Year’s event brought in over 1,500 people. As the event has grown, it now attracts over 5,000 and continues to grow. Having the experience of the last four years, we have been able to fine-tune our event taking into consideration pedestrian traffic and family needs. While the midnight raffles and the lit diamond descent are the finale for the event, the event is branching out again this year to include nearby facilities such as the Des Plaines Library, the History Center, Sim’s Bowl, St. Mary School auditorium, the First United Methodist Church and, new this year, the historic Des Plaines Theatre," New Year’s Eve Chairman Wozny said.

The event officially gets started at 7:30 pm with the Des Plaines Public Library, 1501 Ellinwood St., once again serving as the main hub of activity for the evening, with other events nearby. Maps and tickets for free bowling (for 128 individuals - limited to 64 bowlers for each time slot 7:45 pm and 8:45 pm on a first come basis) at Sim’s Bowl, 1555 Ellinwood St. (within walking distance!) and midnight raffles will be distributed from the Library. Free horse drawn carriage rides (in the west lot of Library Plaza sponsored by Pesche’s Flower Shop), and free trolley rides, again this year compliments of LaSalle Bank, R.G. Smith, and Des Plaines Honda, will help New Year’s Eve partygoers get around. Trolley Stops are as follows:

Stop #1 – Library Plaza East

Stop #2 - Des Plaines History Center, 781 Pearson St., crafts for kids

Stop #3 – St. Mary Church, 795 Center St., Senior Bingo

Stop #4 – Metropolitan Square across from Cheeseburger In Paradise Off-Site Free Parking Garage

Stop #5 – Des Plaines Theatre – Juggler/Movie, 1476 Miner Street/Northwest Hwy.

Stop #6 – First United Methodist Church, 666 Graceland Ave., Family Karaoke

The culmination of the evening, the midnight countdown and diamond drop coordinated by Woolson Production Group and sponsored by the Special Events Commission, will be held in Library Plaza beginning at 11:15 pm. Novelties to add to the "New Year’s" atmosphere in Library Plaza have been sponsored by Lee Manor and CitiBank. Don’t miss this year’s diamond drop, confetti cannons, electronic fireworks, grand prize drawings at 11:15 pm, music and pyrotechnics until 12:30 am. It’s Des Plaines’ own Times Square!

Appetizers will be served from 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm in the hallway of the Library "while supplies last." The following have donated food or food related items for the New Year’s event: Romano’s Pizza, Sarpino’s Pizza, Cumberland Bakery, Caruso’s Pizza, Domino’s Pizza, Oliveti’s Ristorante, Giuseppe’s LaCantina, Leona’s, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Stadium Sports Club & Pizza, Chang Jiang Buffet, Little Villa, Allegretti’s Pizza & Pasta Ristorante, Nancy’s Pizzeria, Chief of Siam, Mug-a-vero’s Pizza, Via Bella Pizza & Pasta and Lalos. Refreshments are sponsored by Cardinal Fitness. Water will be supplied by Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Coffee will be donated by Grazie! Ristorante & Banquets.

And it wouldn’t be New Year’s without a few decorations! Currently the sponsorship for decorations is open. Anyone interested should call Jim Wozny at 847-298-4644.

Other monetary donors to date include Abbott Molecular, Juno Lighting, Littlefuse, Dr. Imhof and Dr. Jelenian Skas, Restaurant Depot, Oehler Funeral Home, Dr. Banks Orthodontics, Des Plaines Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #2992, Michael J. Partridge, D.D.S., Oakton Place Senior Living, Schimka Auto Wreckers, All Season Maintenance, and Journal & Topics Newspapers.

Plenty of fun for kids this year as the Des Plaines Theater, 1476 Miner Street/Northwest Highway, hosts a variety of activities. From 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm inside the Des Plaines Theater, Theater #1, children will enjoy face painting by Diane Hardy, sponsored by Starck & Company Realtors and "Twister the Clown," sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. Also entertaining at the Theatre will be Jason Kollum presenting the "Family Juggling & Variety Show," sponsored by Safeguard Storage. Shows are at 7:30 pm, 8:30 pm, 9:30 pm and 10:30 pm. The evening really starts to rock and roll with a special performance of an extremely popular newly released television teen musical, sponsored by Midwest Bank, in Theater #2 at 7:45 pm and 9:30 pm. Two hundred seats will be available per show and children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult, for all theatre activities. For further movie information, visit the New Year’s Eve website under list of sponsors and events.

During the evening, the following mascots will visit the New Year’s Eve Celebration: Old Country Buffet Bee (passing out free buffet coupons to all children under the age of twelve in attendance), the Cardinal Fitness Bird, Skates, the Chicago Wolves Mascot and Hubert the Harris Bank Lion.

In addition, live and continuous entertainment, sponsored by 3D Brick Paving Co., Allstate Insurance, and Lurvey Landscaping Supply & Garden Center will be provided inside the Library from 7:45 pm until 10:30 pm where a variety of music will be performed by Route #66, a female quartet featuring a musical journey through the decades from swing to rock & roll, complete with costumes and choreography. Winners of the Des Plaines Park District’s Idol competition this summer, will be performing at approximately 9 pm during the break. Des Plaines’ own Tim Vana will host the evening’s entertainment.

New Year’s Eve fun doesn’t stop with the Library. Stop at The Des Plaines History Center, 781 Pearson St. (one of the trolley stops) and visit with Joy Matthiessen and her staff that is hosting crafts for the kids, refreshments and the chance to win Dairy Queen, Burger King, McDonald’s, Choo Choo and Cheeseburger in Paradise gift certificates. It will be worth the trolley stop or the short walk from the Library. Activities will be hosted from 7:30 pm – 11:00 pm.

Another stop kids of all ages won’t want to miss will be the First United Methodist Church, 666 Graceland Ave., where Family Karaoke will be coordinated by "Stars on Stage Productions" and sponsored by Fountain Blue Banquets. Donors for the Karaoke night include Kaffecino, Tiffany’s Restaurant, The Egg Roll House, Depot Restaurant & Pizzeria, Froots, Cold Stone Creamery, Silver Stallion Restaurant, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Paradise Pup & Char Grill, Bowl Square Asian Cuisine, Leona’s, Alpha Family Restaurant, Fiesta Del Sol Express, Allegretti’s Pizza, House of Szechwan, Little Amsterdam Restaurant, Beacon Tap, Firestone, Supercuts, Hair Cuttery, Alpine Camera, Fullers Car Wash, the Chicago Bulls and the Des Plaines Park District. The First United Methodist Church is easily assessable by trolley.

With seniors in mind, St. Mary Church, 795 Center St., will offer Bingo with prizes while they last. Bingo, sponsored by Shop and Save, Metropolitan Square, is hosted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #2992 from 7:30 pm – 11:00 pm. Cards will be given to the first 250 attendees. Tickets (Bingo Cards) will be available at 7:00 pm, December 31 at St. Mary when the doors open. Bingo is open to all adults over the age of 21.

Prizes for Bingo have been made through the generous contributions of Cardinal Fitness, Curves, GNC, Chicago Rush Football, Des Plaines Park District, Vision Care Specialists, New Beginnings Salon, Lee Nails, Metro Tan, The Cleanery, Courtyard by Marriot, Comfort Inn & Suites, Best Western, Extended Stay America, Radisson Hotel, Lurvey’s Garden Center, Car X Muffler & Brake, Jiffy Lube, Oil Express, Just Tires, Boardwalk Hand Car Wash, Jewel Foods, Dominick’s, Grazie! Ristorante & Banquets, Giuseppe’s La Cantina, Giacomo’s Ristorante Italiano, Gail’s Carriage Inn, Black Ram Restaurant, Giordano’s Pizza, Delicias Mexican Restaurant, Stadium Sports Club, Cheeseburger in Paradise and Lalos.

A large screen will project the New York New Year’s celebration at 11:00 pm. Beginning at 11:15 pm on the Library Plaza, free raffle drawings (winners must be present) will be held from the outdoor stage for the following prizes: $100 gift card for a car rental, sponsored by Hertz Local Edition; two razor scooters donated by Des Plaines Honda Motorcycles; a face painting party donated by Diane Hardy; three six month memberships at Cardinal Fitness; a three month family membership pass and a three month youth membership pass from Lattof YMCA; an ultimate car protection and car detailing from Des Plaines Car Wash; a one year membership to Flex Fitness, Metropolitan Square; two overnight stays at the Hilton Garden Inn; two one-hour evaluations at GolfTec; six passes for Brookfield Zoo General Admission/Carousel/Family Zoo area and parking; and ten "Shop Des Plaines" grab bags loaded with coupons from various local Des Plaines businesses. These businesses include Cheeseburger In Paradise, Burger King, Jimmy’s Restaurant, Bowl Square Asian Cuisine, Froots, Super Cuts, River Rand Bowl, Royal Touch Car Wash, Car-X, and Des Plaines Park District.

"The Special Events Commission is inviting and encouraging all Des Plaines residents to attend this year’s event. Mark your calendars today. This is an event that offers something for the whole family all close to home. Des Plaines is the place to be on New Year’s Eve," Wozny said.

For additional information on open sponsorships or donating to this year’s event, contact New Year’s Eve Event Chairman Jim Wozny at 847-298-4644 or Chairman of the more

Special Events Commission Linda Forman at 847-922-0556. As New Years Eve draws closer, residents are encouraged to visit the New Year’s Eve webpage on the City’s website for up to date information on times, a trolley service map, prizes and up-to-date changes.

Schedules will also be available at City Hall, the Des Plaines Frisbie Senior Center or the Des Plaines Library during the month of December.

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