(Columbia, SC) – For a decade, Famously Hot New Year — a nonprofit organization since 2016 — has brought visitors, residents, businesses, and community and civic leaders from diverse backgrounds together for South Carolina’s largest free New Year’s Eve party in downtown Columbia, S.C.. Given the continued concerns around COVID-19 and its variants, the nonprofit’s board has concluded that hosting an event on December 31, 2021 would not be in the best interest of the community. However, visitors and locals are encouraged to make plans to enjoy the Columbia region’s year-round amenities, from outdoor recreation to nationally-ranked attractions, walkable entertainment districts, charming hotels and an international, chef-driven restaurant scene.
“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.”
Famously Hot New Year was started in 2011 as an idea nurtured by Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin. Sponsors such as the City of Columbia, Richland County and private partners including BlueCross BlueShield of SC, Aflac, WLTX, Alpha Media, Dominion Energy, Pepsi of the Carolinas, Segra and more have enhanced the well-being of our community through their support over the last decade.
Famously Hot New Year has become a tradition for tens of thousands of people in the Midlands as well as visitors from cities from Greenville to New York and beyond. Guests are drawn by the event’s national acts, but they book longer stays to enjoy the region’s welcoming, authentic culture and wide array of incredible things to do. The event was held virtually in 2020.
“Although we will not gather en masse on Main Street in downtown Columbia, S.C., on New Year’s Eve,” says Lloyd, “Visitors and locals alike can still make plans to enjoy all that our vibrant region has to offer.”
