Here's The Lineup For Chicago's First Free NYE Celebration On The Riverwalk

By Mae Rice in Arts & Entertainment on Dec 9, 2015 9:55PM

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Chi-Town Rising, Chicago’s inaugural free New Year’s Eve event on the Riverwalk, has announced what it calls an “A-list” lineup of bands I’ve never heard of. Expect performances from The O’My’s, Kweku Collins, and The NuBlu Band, among others—all of whom may or may not be up and coming!

Along with live performances, the event will feature the opposite of a ball drop: a gigantic star rising into the night sky. According to the Chi-Town Rising website, this star reflects the fact that “Chicagoans don’t drop the ball, we rise to meet the challenges and opportunities of the New Year head-on.”

This special symbolism will be somewhat muddied at the end of the night, when a team will likely take the star down.

Over-21 attendees can find traditional New Year’s Eve DJs and booze at the event’s ticketed Corona Extra Beach House. It will not be the most traditional beach house—it’s going to be on the banks of the Chicago River in late December—but it will be a beach house, with views of the water and the star’s ascent.

Chi-Town Rising will be broadcast live on NBC 5 and Telemundo from 11 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.