ORLANDO, Fla. – Businesses in downtown Orlando and neighboring areas are preparing for one of the biggest celebrations of the year — New Year’s Eve.
Katie Fazerbaker, the marketing and Events manager for Wall Street Plaza, said this year feels like the first normal year for New Year’s Eve since the COVID-19 pandemic.
[TRENDING: Florida officials issue warning to Orlando venue about Christmas drag show | WWII tugboat to be brought home to DeLand in January | Become a News 6 Insider]
“Especially compared to the couple of years prior, the past few years 2020, 2021, it’s more looking like 2019 now and we’re very excited about it,” Fazerbaker said.
Over in Thornton Park, Graffiti Junktion is busy preparing for the neighborhood’s 14th annual New Year’s Eve Street Party — even bringing in some extra help.
“You know we have multiple units for Graffiti Junktion,” Graffiti Junktion President, Greg Peters said. “Lake Mary, College Park and Clermont, a lot of those employees are coming down to work.”
Peters said the Thornton Park Street Party’s ticket sales have gone up by a third compared to 2021.
“Well, we’ve always turned it up every year,” Peters said. “You know COVID we did actually go down, during COVID we actually dropped about 22%.”
Despite staffing shortages throughout the service industry, Graffiti Junktion and Wall Street Plaza said they’re fully staffed and ready to go.
“We’re definitely dealing with a lot of shortage and staffing, but for New Year’s Eve, we’re ready to rock-and-roll and everyone is excited,” Peters said.
Fazerbaker said a lot of their staff has worked there for years and said they’re always happy to come in and help out on the holidays.
“We know we have a very competent staff and we definitely have enough,” Fazerbaker said. “We’re not worried about any shortage of staffing.”
To purchase tickets to Wall Street Plaza’s NYE event, click here. To purchase tickets for the Thornton Park street party, click here.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: