Communities gather to welcome2020

For old times' sake communities will gather tonight to bid farewell not just to 2019, but to a decade marked with memories of growth, struggles, disasters and triumphs. At midnight, the world will toast to the new roaring 20s, hoping for a future of economic prosperity, cultural diversity and a general good vibe.

Across the country, many will gather to celebrate and toast to the new year.

Oropune Gardens' A Touch of White

Disaster can sometimes bring a community together. After the flooding problems Oropune Gardens experienced in the past, the community formed OG (Oropune Gardens) South Side Committee.

The committee not only worked on bringing flood relief but raising community spirit. Newsday spoke to Gerard Clarke, an OG South Side Committee member, who said the community has had Christmas parties and this will be the fourth year it has hosted a New Year's Eve event.

"Our committee used to keep a children's Christmas party every year. For the old years, it started off small, but coming out of the flood issues we had in the past, it made everybody connect and stay together and still foster that comradely together," Clarke said.

Every year the party has a different theme. Last year it was black, and this year guests are encouraged to wear a touch of white.

"You don't necessarily have to come in all white, but wear something in white to blend in with the theme."

The party is hosted at the Aero Services Sports Ground in Oropune Gardens, Tunapuna. It is a cooler event, so people can bring their coolers but no glass bottles and no ice. Ice and chasers will be on sale. It costs $200 and there will be live entertainment. Orlando Octave, Patrice Roberts, Blaxx, DJ Bravo, Swappi are among the performers.

At midnight, the community will toast to life and togetherness.

"Everybody is from Oropune," Clarke said, explaining that the plan was: "Residents from Oropune Gardens, keep it nice, keep it connected, keep people together. People who live there would have family and friends and they could come too. We are celebrating life and love within the community," Clarke said.

Rootsyardd Dub 2020 More Love

Rootsyardd has hosted several night markets throughout the year. Tonight it will hold a private party at the Trinidad Theatre Workshop in St Clair.

Jude Patrick, organiser of Rootsyardd, told Newsday this is the group's first new year celebration merging the theatre, artisan crafters, reggae and hippie communities called 2020 More Love.

"We are sharing vibes after a nice year. The year 2020 is significant for a lot of people. I don't think you stay in your house and not celebrate. It is a little more peaceful and conscious. We put together a live band (consisting of) a couple well known musicians in the reggae fraternity and the hippie vibes community," Patrick said.

Patrick said this is also an event for the theatre community to start advertising future productions.

The Level Roots Band and Black Chariot will be entertaining. It is a food-inclusive event. Tickets cost $350 and can be bought at New Earth Organic Enterprises Ltd, Ayushi Organic Juices and Smoothies and the TTW. There will be no sales at the door.

NYE Midnight Brunch

Many may want to party away at midnight, but some may want to munch a midnight brunch at The Bungalow, a bar and lounge on Rust Street, Port of Spain.

Navin Boodhai, co-owner of The Bungalow told Newsday he wanted to bring a different vibe for New Year's Eve.

"It's a little different. We know people like to dine out and have drinks. Given how we are set up with the restaurant and lounge, we have the midnight brunch," Boodhai said.

The midnight brunch costs $199 plus service charge and VAT, and includes dishes such as eggplant, fish stew, coconut bake, garlic parmesan rolls, creamy cauliflower soup, roasted turkey marinated in maple syrup, roast beef with a spiced sorrel jelly, minty roasted potatoes and apple pie.

The $199+ is for the buffet only. The bar will have specials on bellinis, mimosas, martinis, margaritas and guests can toast with Champagne and Prosecco.

"We have a wide customer base, we know what they want with food quality and drinks. We are doing what we do well and doing it better in the new year. We are entering in the Carnival season with our party vibe. This is what our customers will be looking for in the new year. We are a nice environment to lime," Boodhai said.

He advises customers to book reservations to ensure they get a table.

Something for South: Freebird Restaurant

Freebird Restaurant, housed at Petrea Place, nature reserve centre for the Wild Fowl Trust in Pointe-a-Pierre, is having an all-inclusive New Year’s Eve party called Starry Night!

Co-owner Rhenard Callender describes this event as something for people in South to celebrate.

"We've been around for two years now, as of October, and...we want to continue our focus on food and creating great experiences for our guest," Callender said.

Freebird is a farm-to-table restaurant that not only grows its own produce but sources vegetables from local farmers from Tableland and Siparia.

"We are working on our garden to make sure we get most of our veggies are farm-to-table, source it from organic places. We spend a lot of time sourcing our items. We have farmers working with us," he said.

Starry Night is an all-inclusive food and drinks party with cocktail stations, live food stations such as a grill station, a slider station with Freebird burger, sushi stations and their "famous fancy fries," which are fries mixed with a variety of ingredients such as Korean braised short ribs with kimchi and sriracha aioli.

Starry Night also has a "sober station" which includes coffee, tea, bottle water and corn soup to ensure all their guests leave sober.

This is the first time Freebird is holding the event.

DJ Anna will entertain all night and tickets will cost $850. The party starts from 9 pm.

Jamboree 2020 Old Year’s Night

Jamboree has been an fixture in New Year's Eve and Carnival celebrations for more than 15 years, event co-ordinator Shawn Wong told Newsday.

"We'll be playing everything. All the biggest socas for 2019. We will be playing all the latest hits for the 2019, as well as back-in-times sets," Wong said.

DJs include Sachy and Spec: the Council; DJ Tech and Spartan; and DJ Rated Ram and Cardo.

Tickets for this all-inclusive event at the Hilton Trinidad Poolside and are $750.

Midnight services

For those wishing to bring in the New Year at church, there are a number of midnight church services.

Grace Fellowship Family Church in Mayaro will have mass from 8.30 pm-12.30 am.

A Life For Christ Ministry in Cunupia will have mass from 6.30-11.30 pm.

Holy Rosary Church, Port of Spain, St Peter’s Church, Pointe-a-Pierre, Mary Immaculate Queen of the Universe RC, San Juan and Mt St Benedict will all have masses at 11 pm.