Voyage Into The Year 2001
Welcome to the real third millennium.
The Tournament of Roses parade went forth as always in Pasadena, California Monday, with this year's theme "The Fabric of America" and the Veterans of Foreign Wars winning a Judges' Special Trophy for their Road to Freedom float.
But it was no ordinary New Year's pageant.
Mathematical purists who opted out of champagne for last New Year's Eve enthusiastically greeted the first day of 2001 as the real first day of the new millennium.
Revelers across the nation who already marked that date a year ago didn't mind continuing their celebrations with a round two to mark the new millennium.
"It's a real sense of occasion," explained Noel Whittaker, 28, who flew to New York City from London to participate in the annual ritual in Times Square.
"It's the energy of the people and watching the crowd get excited. The amount of time and energy that obviously goes into this for just one night makes it really special," he said.
The electric mood was heightened by the presence of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, who joined New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani in pressing the button that started a crystal-covered ball's descent, signaling the end of 2000 and the start of 2001.
"You've gotta do this once in your life," said Eric Robertson, visiting from Ottawa with his wife. "This is unreal. This isn't really happening."
 AP What better perch than dad's shoulders from which to welcome 2001 in Times Square? |
In Las Vegas, some 350,000 people were estimated to have witnessed what had been dubbed the "Big Bang," the biggest fireworks display in the nation. There were no fireworks last year due to Y2K safety concerns.
"The atmosphere is electric," said newlywed Kim McCosker.
About $500,000 worth of fireworks were launched at midnight from 11 hotel-casinos on the Strip. Police arrested 82 people, mostly for minor offenses, said Lt. Mark Joseph.
To Mark Markowitz, a 32-year-old New York City musician, the 58-degree weather seemed balmy. "This is not the year to be in Manhattan. This is the place to be," he said.
Not so, said many in Times Square. The place where a record throng of nearly 2 million people gathered to welcome 2000 - some said it was the new millennium - was ready for a new onslaught as city sanitation crews worked around the clock to clear the last significant vestiges of Saturday's 12-inch snowfall.
Revelers who filed into cordoned-off areas north of 42nd Street seemed to care less about millennial debates. Indeed, less hype meant fwer people.
John Horsky, 40, of New York, attending his third Times Square celebration, said the crowds were thinner this year than last year, affording him a better view.
Pat Ingoglio, 50, also of New York, was a first-timer. "I thought maybe if I get to see it at least once before I die I'll be happy," she said. "Besides, it's good to spend New Year's with friends."
Police estimated that 700,000 people - far less than half the number to welcome 2000 - descended on Times Square. Twenty-one people were arrested
A 17-minute fireworks display erupted over downtown Denver as up to 140,000 people packed the 16th Street Mall. City officials hoped the party would make up for the lack a celebration to ring in the year 2000.
"Last year, nobody did anything in Denver," said Kelly McMullen, a 22-year student enjoying the explosions. "It's nice to see the city is finally taking it seriously this year."
In Portland, Oregon, crowds piled into Pioneer Square in the center of town, expecting fireworks or at least some entertainment, but none had been planned.
 AP Photo New Year's celebrations at the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo |
No injuries have been reported, but several arrests were made.
Detroit had more to celebrate that just the dawning of the new year - 2001 marks its 300th birthday, and its major New Year's Gala incorporated the opening of a time capsule from 1901.
"How much faster are you traveling? How much farther have you annihilated time and space and what agencies are you employing to which we are strangers?" said Detroit's mayor of a century ago, Mayor William C. Maybury, in the letter pulled out of the time capsule by current Detroit mayor Dennis Archer.
Maybury went on to express what he called "one supreme hope - that whatever failures the coming century may have in the progress of things material, you may be conscious when the century is over that, as a nation, people and city, you have grown in righteousness, for it is this that exalts a nation."
Although 2000 was filled with its fair share of problems in Detroit - including a four-day power outage in June and the investigation of alleged civil rights violations by the Police Department - Archer said he agreed with Maybury's sentiments.
"I don't think anything's happened in Detroit that hasn't happened to any other city," Archer said as those in attendance at the Detroit Symphony Orcestra New Year's Eve Gala viewed the box and its contents.
In Philadelphia, the New Year's focus was on the 100th birthday of the City Hall, an elaborate, 695-room fortress that today is home to city offices and courtrooms. The building's birthday was celebrated with treasure hunts, tours and a debate - all in the national historic landmark building.
While revelers enjoyed themselves at millions of parties all over the world, the most fitting celebration for ushering in the year 2001 may have been in outer space.
The crew of space station Alpha - American commander Bill Shepherd and his two Russian crewmates - rang in the new year with a special Millennium message.
"Let the real space odyssey, 2001, proceed," said Shepherd, sharing his feeling that space exploration is a great way to start the 21st century - one which is full of promise.
Shepherd calls space travel a "powerful symbol" of future possibilities, and says it defines human beings as a "space-faring civilization."
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