New Years Eve, fireworks shows and parties.
Growing up in Curacao the Christmas season and New Year eve was the season I longed for. We then have feast and get new clothes and shoes. The whole season we have special food and drinks in the house and everybody is happy and in high spirit.
My friends and I saved money every year together to buy extra fire crackers next to what our parents bought for us. So, then we could stay all night long playing and firing up what we have bought.
We usually bought them at Chinees stores saying “Vuurwerk” in the neighborhood. They had all kind of fireworks. We were especially interested in the very loud or spectacular ones.
Buy your own fireworks
You may also like to buy your own fireworks. After Christmas, there will be signs along the Caracas bay road with a sign reading “Vuurwerk”. Here you can buy all kind of fireworks from harmless ones for kids to very loud or spectacular ones.
If you stay in Boca Gentil you will have to go outside the resort to fire them, since it is not any longer permitted to do so inside.
Nowadays as adult I prefer to go to places to watch firework shows or see how they fire up Pagaras, which are rolled up and knitted together fireworks. Because you have to roll it out we called it back then also “Tapijt” Dutch for “Carpet”. The longer it is, the longer it last. Lot of fun to watch!
Where you can go to watch Pagara shows and other fireworks shows:
Shows in the afternoon of 31 December
On the 31ste the biggest Pagara show is in the afternoon and takes place in Pietermaai: The Pagara Party XXL.They offer live music and plenty of food and drinks during the XXL Pagara Party in Pietermaai District. The last Party in 2018 started at noon and between 14:00 -15:00, the Pagara is lit.
This year 2019 they will probably start the biggest pagara of the island again in front of Scuba Lodge & Ocean Suites.
What time? Check Pietermaai’s Facebook Pagefor more information
Shows in the evening of 31 December
Year’s Eve best fireworks show in the evening is downtown Willemstad. Lots of people will gather close to the floating bridge at either side of the St Anna bay, Punda: at Iguana café or Otrabanda: at Brion Plein, the plaza at the start of the floating bridge. They will gather there around 22:00 or earlier and stay until the countdown to say Happy New year.
Families and friends meet there on the street and bring chairs and cooler with drinks, food and snacks to party together. At the countdown they open their champagne bottles in glasses to toast. Bands are offering live music and people even will be dancing. We love this because next to enjoying your own drink and food you meet many people, watching how Curacao celebrates New Year’s Eve. Then at midnight the sky is filled with beautiful and spectacular the fireworks.
There will be New Year’s Eve parties in most hotels close by and other locations in that area.
Parking
We advise to depart in the early evening to town and have a diner there. Then there are plenty of parking places. It is best to park your car somewhere around Wilhelmina plein, the plaza where CURACAO sign it located or if you want to avoid traffic on your way back home, take Waaigat parking place near the Cinema “The Movies”. Just to make sure you can easily leave when you like to go home.
Dinner
Make upfront dinner reservations for New Year’s Eve. It is best to do that in Punda or Otrabanda so that after dinner you can just walk over to the floating bridge area. Here are some suggestions:
- La Bahia Seafood & Steak house above Hotel Otrabanda overlooking St Anna bay.
- Restaurant & Café Gouverneur De Rouville
- Steaks & Ribs in Riffort / Renaissance mall
- Igauna Cafe
Entertainment & Fireworks & Parties
If you prefer to celebrate New Years Eve at a hotel then the Renaissance Resort & Casino might be a suggestion. They usually have New Years Eve countdown late party with dinner and dancing: 11:30pm to 02:00am
Heading back
Roads will be okay and safe no matter what time you head back.
January 1stall shops are closed
On January 1st, all shops will be closed except for some Chinese owned supermarkets. Unless a cruise ship is in town, all shops downtown will be closed too. Most people go to the beaches that day. Restaurants are usually open during January 1st.
January 5thFuikdag of Fuikday
The annual Fuikdag celebration takes place on the first Sunday of the new year and is held at Fuikbay. You can only reach it by boat. It is a gettogether or rendezvous in the bay of Fuik outside Barbara Beach on the way to Klein Curacao. There boats are anchored and a DJ will play music. People will swim or float around in inflated floaters or dance on the deck, eat and have fun. Google Fuikdag Curacao and see pictures there,
Looking for a place to stay? Interested in staying with us? Contact us! For more information about our oceanfront villa, one of the nicest and close to town, check the availability and book Curacao vacation rentals: Villa Sea Paradise Curacao!