Hartford’s new Magic Mural Art Wall, a 40,000-square-foot digital art installation attached to the Frontier Building, will serve to ring in the New Year in magical multimedia style on Tuesday evening.

Starting at sunset on New Year’s Eve, a series of laser art pieces will light up all the walls until the fireworks display organized by First Night Hartford at 6 p.m. A “countdown clock” will be displayed on the art wall throughout the night until more fireworks light up the sky at midnight.

The Magic Mural Art Wall was first unveiled just six weeks ago, with several nights of projections and live performances surrounding the installation in mid-November.

RiseUP for Arts, the group that has organized dozens of murals (painted and otherwise) across the state for years, calls the magic wall’s digital time display “one of the largest New Year’s Eve countdown clocks in the country.”

RiseUP for Arts partnered with First Night Hartford to develop the countdown clock that will be a centerpiece of this year’s celebration in downtown Hartford.

“We are thrilled to partner with First Night Hartford to create an unforgettable experience for our community,” Matt Conway, executive director of RiseUP, said in a press release. “This activation highlights the Magic Mural Art Wall’s unique ability to combine art, technology and celebration and make Hartford a destination for the new year.”

The event features entertainment from DJ Kasy Cortez at 4:30 p.m. and Tang Sauce at 5:30 p.m. in the main stage area at Bushnell Park near Trinity Street. The “People’s Parade” will arrive around 5:45 p.m. in time for the fireworks display at 6 p.m. Nelson Bello & Friends will perform at 11 p.m., followed by another fireworks display at midnight.

Food trucks and vendors will be in the park from 2 p.m. to midnight. The Bushnell Park Carousel offers rides from 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and the Winterfest Ice Rink is open from noon to 9:00 p.m

Outside the park, ONE Bar at Union Place features live music from the Brandon Serafino Duo from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., there’s karaoke at Sunberry Restaurant on Pratt Street from 9 p.m. to midnight, and DJ Sonia Sol is at Trumbull Kitchen from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m

Sea Tea Comedy Theater on Asylum Street will perform six separate improv sketch comedy shows at 3:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m

The Old State House in Connecticut on Main Street, TheaterWorks Hartford on Pearl Street, Center Church on Gold Street and City Place I on Asylum Street will offer family-friendly arts activities from 2 to 5:30 p.m., while the Hartford Public Library Main Street also offers family-friendly activities, one that runs from 2 to 5 p.m. All are within walking distance of Bushnell Park.

A $15 button, which can be used for admission to all First Night Hartford events, will be available at Bushnell Park on December 31st starting at 2 p.m. or in advance.

For more information about the First Night Hartford festivities, visit firstnighthartford.org.

Originally published: December 30, 2024 at 1:52 pm EST