Crowd rings in the new year at Waterside Place

For Lakewood Ranch's Lorena Barona, celebrating New Year's Eve at Waterside Place has become a tradition.

Returning for the third year in a row, she is not alone. Now her group of friends has grown.

She invites everyone she knows in order to make the event that much more special. This year she was one of a group of 19 people who attended together.

"Bring your people and enjoy it," Barona said. "Between the live music, the drone light show and the community vibe, it’s an event worth experiencing. We always have a great time, and we’re already excited for next year!"

At Waterside Place, there was a variety of different activities and entertainment to ring in the new year. There was live music performed by the band No Filter, arcade games, mini golf, food trucks, inflatables and more. When the clock struck midnight, attendees had their eyes to the sky for the drone show. 

Jeanette Wilson has attended the event for the past four years. She described the energy as joyful and fun and the atmosphere as upbeat and welcoming. 

"The new year feels like a fresh start," Wilson said. "I’m less focused on resolutions and more focused on choosing joy, health, and positive energy, and being intentional about how I spend my time."

Lakewood Ranch's Eddie Gonzalez attended the New Year's Eve celebration after hearing good things about it last year. He said it exceeded his expectations with the band, food trucks and the variety of activities for people of all ages. 

"New Year's Eve is a good time to reflect, reset and continue staying positive and reminding ourselves how lucky we are to live in an area such as this," Gonzalez said.