Oklahomans Welcome New Year

News9.com

OKLAHOMA CITY - Thousands of people packed downtown Oklahoma City on Wednesday night to ring in the New Year.

About 73,000 revelers attended the Art Council of Oklahoma City's annual Opening Night Event.

From 7 p.m. to midnight, crowds enjoyed 14 different stages of entertainment, including jazz, country, reggae, choral and rock music, and 10 different strolling performing groups. At the Children's Area in the Cox Convention Center, children made face masks, streamers, and crowns, and played in the inflatable obstacle course.

"We had a great turn out at Opening Night this year," Sharon Johnson, Opening Night co-chair, said in a press release. "We are so pleased with the results of our hard work. Our volunteers and the community really came together to present a spectacular event."

Opening Night relies on the support of nearly 700 volunteers, as well as the support of Downtown and Bricktown businesses, and Opening Night cash and in-kind donors.

Several revelers also celebrated the New Year's with the Flaming Lips New Year's Eve Freak Out concert at the Cox Center.