New Year's Eve is Monday and Downtown offers activities for those who wish to ring in 2013 in the neighborhood.
In addition to the festivities associated with the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl, the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra is presenting its annual "Toast! To the New Year!" program and celebration.
This year's musical guests are the song-and-dance duo Joan Hess and Kirby Ward, two Broadway veterans. Accompanied by the orchestra conducted by Stuart Chafetz, they will perform a selection of classic popular music and showtunes.
Also on the program are the Die Fledermaus Overture and the Radetzky March.
Following the concert, guests will fill the Times-Union Center's riverfront lobby area for light hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar, music by the Marc Dickman Jazz Quartet and a champagne toast at midnight accompanied by fireworks above the St. Johns River.
For details and ticket information, visit jaxsymphony.org.
For those who would like to have dinner before the concert, Juliette's Bistro at the Omni Hotel offers a special four-course menu with wine pairings.
Selections include lobster bisque, flash fried mushrooms with goat cheese, filet mignon stuffed with garlic and crab meat, seared duck breast confit and grapefruit tart or chocolate mousse cake for dessert.
For reservations, call (904) 355-6664.
The Landing has activities and entertainment scheduled for the occasion.
The day begins at 10 a.m. with the VyStar 5K Run, followed by 1:30 p.m. Mississippi State University Southeastern Conference pep rally and the 5 p.m. Northwestern University Big 10 Conference pep rally. Each school is scheduled to bring its football team, marching band and cheerleaders.
Live music in the courtyard will be provided by Sweet Scarlett at 6 p.m. followed by Bay Street at 10 p.m. before the fireworks are launched at midnight.
After 6 p.m., admission is restricted to those 21 years of age and older or with military ID or the Gator Bowl Patch. For more information, visit jacksonvillelanding.com.
@drmaxdowntown
(904) 356-2466