Famously Hot New Year forgoing this year’s celebration due to COVID-19 concerns

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)– There will not be any New Year’s Eve festivities in downtown Columbia this year. According to organizers, this year’s Famously Hot New Year is opting to be famously safe and forgoing the annual celebration.

The non profit says it is cancelling the event out of continued concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This was a tough call to make, but our region is resilient,” says Debora Lloyd, vice president of the Famously Hot New Year board of directors. “Every year, we look forward to bringing visitors from outside of the Midlands together with locals to showcase all that the City of Columbia, Richland County and the region have to offer,” notes Lloyd. “We need to prioritize the health and safety of our community based on the information we have today. While we will not be hosting an in-person or virtual event this year, we encourage travelers to make plans to visit the Real Southern Hot Spot.”

The annual New Year’s Eve street party has been held every year since 2011 in downtown Columbia. Last year’s was held virtually.

For more information, visit famouslyhotnewyear.com.