Horse with no name

Oh, how this city tries. Dallas, otherwise known as America's biggest small town, is celebrating the countdown to the new century with a street fair-meets-Times Square party. Our New Year's Eve celebration features children's activities and performances by kiddie fave Eddie Coker, Ballet Folklorico, and Earl Harvin's jazz trio -- in addition to historical programs and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson's presentation about urban renewal (say it with me: "Lofts! Lofts! Lofts!"). Damn, that sounds like a hell of a lot of fun. Let's usher in the end of civilization with ballet, a children's performer, and lectures! One can only pray for a ball of fire to emerge from the heavens.

Dallas gets on its high horse.

Details

5:30 p.m.

December 31

Related Content

• Ron Kirk Could Come Home and Teach Texas Dems how to Win, but Don't Bet On It
  January 23, 2013
• Kay Bailey Hutchison as Transportation Secretary? First, Let's Look at Her Trinity Deal.
  January 11, 2013
• Now That the Omni's Officially a Success, the City Hopes to Build Shops and Restaurants
  May 17, 2013
• Tips for Rick Perry's Next Campaign: Stop Being Such a Lefty
  May 31, 2013
• In the War to Reform Dallas ISD, Tonight's Battle Might Be the Bloodiest Yet
  May 23, 2013

More About

• Ron Kirk
• Waterford
• Kay Bailey Hutchison
• Eddie Coker
• Earl Harvin

Ah, but the evening does promise One Major Event: Instead of dropping a big ball of Waterford, the Dallas 2000 countdown (led by Mayor Ron Kirk) will end with the relighting of The Flying Red Pegasus, which was recently renovated after being perched atop the Magnolia Building for 65 years. Add to that a galdang spectacle of fireworks, pyrotechnics, and, yup, a laser light show -- that is, presuming TXU really did make our utilities Y2K-compliant. And that it's not really the end of world.

And if it is, what better place to be when the Four Horsemen come than standing smack in the middle of a major U.S. city, paying homage to a giant symbol of Greek mythology? What was that about honoring false gods? Oh, yeah. Of course, if the end does arrive at 12:01 a.m. January 1, having parts of the population seized by rapture and lifted into the sky will certainly help solve the traffic problem, unless it happens after everyone is in their cars. (God don't like no heavy lifting.) No wonder they're suggesting visitors use DART, which will run until 2:30 a.m. for the occasion.

And though the few remaining free tickets are being given away by radio stations -- Merge 93.3, 99.5 The Wolf, 1310 The Ticket, and 570 KLIF -- there are two other ways to attend. A special party in Pegasus Pavilion includes live music, video broadcasts, and access to Dallas 2000 for $40. Dallas 2000 is also looking for volunteers to take tickets, assist the media, work concession stands, and answer guests' questions. Maybe they'll even issue Kevlar vests, flashlights, bottled water, canned food, and shotguns. You know, just in case.

— Shannon Sutlief