FORT WORTH, Texas — Sundance Square in Fort Worth will ring in the new year by hosting one of the largest fireworks dislays in North Texas after the clock strikes midnight.
For the first time since 2020, Sundance Square is bringing back its big New Year’s Eve fireworks celebration with live music on the plaza stage, food trucks, live street performances, a countdown to midnight and fireworks.
Ed Kraus, Sundance Square’s chief of security, told WFAA the event plans to host at least 5,000 people on New Year’s Eve.
“There’s desire to get out and celebrate with other people,” Kraus said. “We wanted to offer this up to the community.”
Dallas residents Delah Staten and Imo Moses plan to spend New Year’s Eve in Fort Worth. On Thursday, they strolled along Sundance Square to explore different sights and restaurants ahead of the new year.
“We’re looking forward to it,” Moses said.
“We were supposed to have a flight to New Orleans, the flights got canceled, so now we’re spending it in Fort Worth,” Staten said.
New Year's Eve in Sundance Square is a free event. Several nearby parking garages and street parking will also be free over the weekend.
During the event, there will be several street closures for pedestrian safety: including Main Street from 2nd Street to 5th Street, along with 3rd Street and 4th Street from Houston Street and Commerce Street.
Plans for the event came together quickly. Several business owners who asked to remain anonymous told WFAA they were given less than two weeks notice about the NYE celebration. A permit for the event shows the event got the green light on Dec. 22.
Kraus acknowledged a proper notice should’ve been given to tenants in the community.
“That is a shortcoming we had and that falls squarely at my feet,” Kraus said. “We haven’t had these large events since the pandemic happened.”
Kraus told WFAA that Sundance Square's former employee who led permitting efforts retired earlier in the year, leading to a delay in the permitting process.
“We were scrambling with how to get through the process and failed to give proper notice,” Kraus said.
Several business owners, however, are looking forward to seeing more foot traffic on New Year’s Eve. Artist Bernardo Vallarino, whose work is on display at the Love Texas Art gallery, is looking forward to welcoming people in to experience his artwork.
“Anytime you can have something downtown to bring people together, that’s a great opportunity,” Vallarino said.
Vallarino recalls the last fireworks display when Sundance Square rang in 2020. After that, the pandemic shut down large-scale events. Vallarino is looking forward to a return to normal in the new year.
“It just seems like spring is coming,” Vallarino said.