Nashville’s New Year’s Eve Concert Leaving Lower Broadway

Nashville, courtesy Nashville Convention and Visitor’s Bureau

Nashville’s annual New Year’s Eve Concert will be held at the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park for the first time this year. The move from Lower Broadway accommodates the growth of the event and enhances security.

Now the traditional Music Note Drop and accompanying fireworks display will be visible against the backdrop of the State Capitol building and Nashville skyline. The celebration is also being renamed as Jack Daniel’s Music City Midnight: New Year’s Eve.

“Our famed New Year’s Eve event has grown exponentially over the last few years, resulting in the need to expand the footprint,” said Beth Seigenthaler Courtney, NCVC board chair and managing partner and president of DVL Seigenthaler. “This move also allows us to enhance security for all who attend, giving much more room for event revelers, vendors, emergency personnel and others to move conveniently and securely throughout the celebration.”

The Bicentennial Mall location is being considered a temporary location for now, though it could become permanent.

Butch Spyridon, NCVC president and CEO, noted that event growth, heightened security and reduced footprint space collectively provided challenges to the traditional Lower Broadway location. The traditional Lower Broadway location will be equipped with a large screen to display the concert and the Note Drop, along with a secondary fireworks show across the Cumberland River. Shuttles will run between locations to allow partygoers to enjoy both locations.

“Our mission is always to provide the highest quality event while planning for future growth,” said Spyridon. “While we loved the traditional site, this decision reflects our success, and we will continue to include Broadway to showcase more of Nashville. We have worked with security officials to ensure everyone’s safety and to provide the best concert viewing experience.”

Other advantages of the new location include more convenient, accessible and better secured entry and exit points and availability of state parking lots surrounding Bicentennial Mall to provide additional convenient parking.

The New Year’s Eve event has drawn crowds in excess of 100,000 in recent years, with the 2015 event boasting 150,000 revelers on Broadway and surrounding downtown streets.

“Nashville’s New Year’s Eve celebration is one of the events that makes Music City unique, and it’s an opportunity to shine the spotlight on our great city to a massive audience,” said Mayor Megan Barry. “We want to continue to grow this event and give visitors a chance to enjoy Nashville in the safest manner possible. The location change will allow safety to remain a top priority while also highlighting another marquee site in our dynamic city.”