THERE WAS a buzz of activity all over the Corporate Area as thousands of persons prepared to welcome the New Year on Tuesday night.
On the streets, peasant blouses, spray painted jeans, knee high boots and brightly coloured and multi-coloured wigs were the rage. So too were theme outfits, with persons attempting to dress like their favourite musicians or in cultural outfits.
The aim of the revellers seemed to be to find a club, party, event, ball or even a public park to jam for the night and ring in 2003. There were plenty of those.
In Papine, vendors began preparations and the deejay started warming up early.
A Dread-locked man started the dancing, jumping up and down to the roots reggae being belted out by a nearby sound system dubbed "Disturbance", while the few patrons who had gathered by around 10 p.m., watched.
In Barbican, the loudest sounds, soulful cries to Jesus, came from the Barbican Baptist Church. There were signs, though, that there would have been action later in the two spots as midnight drew near.
In Half-Way Tree, Doctor Bird Club provided a complimentary fashion show while in Mandela Park and surrounding areas, there was fierce competition among persons decked out in the latest hairdos and fashions, and among those who adopted a particular theme such as wearing peasant blouses or dressed like Disney American Indian character, Pocohontas, musician Kelly Rowland and actress Halle Berry.
At various clubs and hotels, champagne, music and food flowed and as midnight approached, shyness went, along with shawls and the loosened crowds relived days gone by or sampled new music.
At the Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston, new hairdos were adorned with party hats and party favours and noisemakers were distributed to men sporting new trims, dapper suits or neat tuxedos and to women decked out in thousands of dollars worth of jewelry, ball gowns and pricey pumps.
Red, blue, green and black were popular colours for shimmering ball gowns, often accompanied by matching shawls, matching shoes and dainty handbags. The latter carried, among other things, makeup to retouch faces and fix hair, often loosened and made damp by vigorous dancing to old 1970s tunes, soca and modern music.
As 2003 was ushered in via a vibrant count down, balloons came down, a roar went up and couples locked each other in fierce hugs or greeted the New Year with a kiss.
