Slovak jazz performer Peter Lipa will perform at the New Year's celebration in the Bratislava Old Town.photo: TASR
To celebrate the end of one millenium and the beginning of another, the Bratislava Old Town will host a grandiose New Year's Eve Party with dancing, live concerts, ice skating and plenty of fireworks.
The programme will be dispersed among three of Bratislava's most famous zones: Hlavné námestie (Main Square), Michalská ulica and Hviezdoslavovo námestie.
A large stage set up just for the occasion will be the centre of attention on the Main Square where the festivities will begin at 17:00 with a performance of folk musicians playing traditional Slovak instruments. The show will be followed by Peter Lipa, Slovakia's famous jazz and blues singer.
A handful of Slovak bands will also take the Hlavné námestie stage, including the Beatles Revival Band, Žena z Lesoparku, Para, Polemic and Hex. During the last hour of the year 2000, the Banjo Band Ivana Mládka from the Czech Republic will perform their songs, which are very popular among Slovaks of all generations.
Organisers of the Silvester (New Year's) celebration would not reveal what's planned for the stroke of midnight, but they promised a magnificent laser display with the statue of the Knight Roland on the Main Square as the focus. Then the music will again take over with performances by pop group Vidiek, Miro Žbirka and Janko Lehotský.
Michalská street will host a slew of DJs mixing CDs on a stage beneath Michalská brana (Michal's Gate). Dancing is encouraged to the music, which will range from Czech and Slovak rock-pop and world hits to international house and techno.
On Hviezdoslavovo námestie there will be a discotheque on the ice-skating rink in front of the National Opera House. Naturally, a huge fireworks display is planned for midnight and refreshment stands offering traditional Slovak mulled drinks and food will be sporadically placed along the Old Town's streets.
By Zuzana Habšudová
