Orange County Celebrates, Yes, but Not as Noisily as Expected

The parades and the concerts that roared on well past midnight in Orange County were a time for celebration--but many took an opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of the clubs and the wet streets on New Year’s Eve.

Throughout much of Orange County, crowds were thinner than officials had projected, even at Disneyland, where 50,000 people thronged the park at 10 p.m.

At Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park--despite additional security precautions that included searching people for weapons and temporarily shutting down rides at 11:45 p.m. to avoid even the remote possibility of Y2K mishaps--thousands of revelers braved cold and damp weather.

The park was playing host to Praise 2000, a celebration tailored for families and featuring top Christian music acts. Members of the lighter-than-anticipated crowd were given noise makers and T-shirts at the gates.

Jeremy Weidenkopf, a 19-year-old U.S. Air Force airman stationed in Las Vegas, spent the evening at Knott’s with his two siblings and parents--far away from Sin City.

“Tonight, there’s supposed to be millions of people there,” said Weidenkopf, a UC Berkeley baseball cap perched backward on his head. “It’s not a safe place to be. I don’t want to be around if something crazy happens down there.”

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As Fullerton’s First Night revved into gear about 9 p.m., families strolled the streets, serenaded by mariachi, and clambered aboard a Ferris wheel. Some had their pictures taken with a silver-coated “Millennium Man”--who looked inexplicably like the Tin Man from “Wizard of Oz.”

“We’ve been to Disneyland and lots of places, but this is the best and it’s home,’ said Connie Brinker, as she enjoyed the festivities with her husband, Robert.

Dr. Robert Olson, 71, a lifetime Fullerton resident and patron of the event, and his wife, Nancy, 58, in a black cape, gown and pearls, celebrated in style but planned to head home for a venerable New Year’s tradition.

“By 12 we’re going to . . . give a toast and give each other a nice kiss by the fire,” Robert Olson said.

About 6,000 people attended First Night, about half the number organizers expected.

At Albertsons supermarket on Harbor Boulevard in Costa Mesa, workers were busy keeping shelves stocked with water and other supplies.

Water was being purchased at about 10 times the usual rate, manager Darren Bergmann said, with batteries and packaged soup also selling fast. “It caught us a little off guard,” he said.

Still others decided to make their nod to the new century during the light of day at celebrations and programs across the county. Many participants planned to be safely at home--and even under their sheets--when the clock struck midnight.

“I’m not going out,” said Vicki Wiker of San Clemente. “No way. I have a little bottle of wine at home that I’m going to drink. But I’m staying put.”

With her 16-month-old baby in her arms and a big dog on a leash, Wiker was one of thousands of people who spent their New Year’s Eve morning at a block party at the San Clemente Pier.

For Debbie Willett of San Clemente, the fireworks show later in the day off the pier was the finale for her family’s evening--and the millennium.

“I wanted a quiet night,” she said. “It’s hard when you have kids because you have to deal with baby sitters. Plus, all the events were so pricey. We just went through Christmas and just paid our property taxes. I don’t have a whole lot of extra money for Y2K.”

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At Leisure World in Seal Beach, 1,000 residents toasted the new year at 4 p.m.--just as Greenwich mean time in England was entering 2000. Some residents said they couldn’t wait, or didn’t want to wait, until midnight. “I’ll be celebrating in some time zone,” Jane Legus, 64, said. “Probably not this time zone.”

The millennium was still a half a day away, but by noon the shoppers at South Coast Plaza had a decidedly last-minute air about them. A last chance to buy the right shade of pantyhose for the big night; a last scan of the sale racks to see if that expensive evening gown had been marked down.

At the Jose Eber hair salon, stylists were nearly booked solid from noon until late in the day.

Amy Cardiff of Claremont came armed with a photo of how she wanted her hair to look and a package of Velcro-fastened hair jewels that matched the rhinestones on the white crushed velvet pants she would be wearing later that night. Her husband’s employer was throwing a big bash at Universal Studios, and that called for an up-do and a make-over.

“You know, I’m really tired,” Cardiff confessed. “Pajamas sound better to me than any party. I want to just relax, but I’m not going to take this night for granted. It’s once in a lifetime.”

At several fireworks stands around the county, people were stocking up. Fireworks salesmen had reported slow business earlier in the week but saw a slight upswing in business Friday.

Jeanette Granados decided months ago to forgo Y2K celebrations and with her family watch a concert on cable television by the artist formerly known as Prince. On Friday, she was beginning to regret it.

“Now that it’s here, I want to get out and join in the noise,” said Granados, 30, as she rang up photos Friday at the Rite Aid in Costa Mesa. “Now I’m bummed I’m staying home. I want to go party.”

Times staff writers Karen Alexander, Marc Ballon, Leslie Earnest, Greg Hernandez and Peter M. Warren and correspondents Alex Murashko and Louise Roug contributed to this report.