Party-Goers Get a Jump on the New Year

San Diego revelers welcomed the new year Tuesday at a downtown bayfront park with an all-day, family oriented party that featured mariachi dancers, floats, a salute to the America’s Cup and a dazzling fireworks finale.

Organizers estimated that 50,000 people attended the New Year’s Eve event.

While T-shirt hawkers, face painters, singers, magicians and jugglers mingled with the crowd, food vendors sold ethnic goodies ranging from pizza to tacos at booths dotting Embarcadero Marina Park, behind Seaport Village.

The event began at noon and featured a program that organizers said was geared toward family entertainment, rather than drinking and partying.

“This is about one of the only things you can do with your kids on New Year’s,” said Dale Dyrssen, 27, of San Marcos, who brought along his 6-month-old son, Drew.

“You can’t bring the kids to football games because of the prices, or to baseball games because everyone is smoking dope, so this is a good alternative,” Dyrssen said.

Entertainers--including USO bands, rappers and a senior-citizen dance troupe--took turns performing on a central bandstand. For easy viewing, the stage was surrounded by wide video screens.

“We wanted to bring a little sunshine into everyone’s lives,” said Rosemary Favaale, 77, leader of the San Diego Parasol Strutters, a group of 12 senior citizens who did the Charleston and other dances to a Dixieland beat.

When darkness fell, organizers put on a half-hour salute to the America’s Cup--the trophy and the sailing regatta--that culminated in a huge, colorful fireworks display. More than 3,000 shells were fired off from barges anchored in San Diego Bay.

The grand finale was the explosion of a 24-inch shell, the largest fireworks shell ever burst in San Diego, said Mike Kenney, general manager for KJQY-FM (103.7 FM), which helped organize the event.

The celebration, sponsored by the city of San Diego and local Toyota dealers, cost about $100,000 to put on, Kenney said.