Famously Hot New Year celebration comes to an end

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)– According to a release from Sam Johnson, the annual Famously Hot New Year celebration in downtown Columbia has come to an end. On Tuesday, the event’s board of directors announced the event will not return in 2022.

Johnson, who is the president of the event’s board of directors and former aid to previous Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin, released the following statement:

“It’s hard to see FHNY come to an end,” says Sam Johnson. “For the past 10 years, we have looked 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 Johnson. “After nine years of hosting phenomenal live, in-person events with national acts including George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, The Wallflowers, Kool & the Gang, The O’Jays, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Ave, Sister Hazel, Elle King, En Vogue, and Salt-N-Pepa, as well as a virtual event in 2020 featuring Arrested Development and Hootie & the Blowfish, and playing it “famously safe” by forgoing the event in 2021 due to COVID-19, we encourage visitors and locals alike to create new traditions around the holiday that include enjoying all that our vibrant region has to offer.”

Officials say the event first took place in 2011 in downtown Columbia.