NYE: Ring in 2019 in Placencia!

Experience Placencia's most kicking beach parties with Belize's best DJs at Tipsy Tuna and Barefoot on New Year's Eve.

EMERY GILL

ANNELISE HAGAN

By JOLIE POLLARD Editor in Chief The Placencia Breeze pollard.jolie@gmail.com

Like many others with high expectations for the celebration of "auld lang syne", I reckon, I've suffered a number of underwhelming New Year's Eves in my adult years. Only a handful have been truly memorable, phantasmogorical even − the greater of my finger count spent right here at home in beautiful Placencia Village. They're right on par with VIP at Harrah's in New Orleans and bouncing around Bourbon and Decatur Streets. If you recently celebrated your first Halloween at Barefoot and Tipsy Tuna, that should give you some semblance of the insanely fun levels to which our two popular beach bars take the end-of-the-year blowout.

Here's how to NYE in Placencia:

1. Choose to be stylish ... or not. If you don't feel comfortable with what you've packed in your suitcase or what's in your closet, visit boutiques like Anna's Fashion, Strike a Pose and The Dealer or opt for treasure hunting at Roselia's Thrift Shop. Fashionistas can accessorize with some kitschy imported costume bling or go local and don some bonafide conch shell, rainforest seeds or sea pearl jewels. This is really for YOU (or your social media followers, millenials) because honestly, in Placencia, few people care about what or worse, "WHO" anyone else is wearing even though the women love to dress to the nines on New Year's Eve! You can't blame us. We only have a few chances to shimmer during the year, and oddly enough, this glitz harmoniously joins the most crassly dressed on the dance floor. I've seen young sport fishermen having the time of their lives while wearing shorts, sandals and windbreakers. The reality is, you just have to let your spirit shine and smile big! That goes a long way in Placencia!

2. Make a dinner reservation at least a day ahead. This is key because our restaurants will be busy, to put it lightly. Fortunately, you've got plenty choices from which to choose. Just grab our Breeze centerfold map and play eenymeeny-miny-moe starting from the very north end of the Peninsula to the southern tip taking both independently and resort-owned establishments into consideration, or you may want to consult your travel guide or favorite rating sites.

3. Pre-game: No need to go straight to the big parties after dinner. Enjoy local favorites like rum popo, blackberry wine, beers, fruity rum cocktails (or select non-alcoholic beverages) at other bars and eateries on the Peninsula. Chances are you might have so much fun at your resort or roadside hangout that you find little desire to hit the beach revelries, and that's okay! A crowd isn't everyone's cup of tea. Some places throw lively yet more relaxed NYE events complete with all the festive accouterments. As soon as we learn of their plans, we'll be posting on our Breeze Facebook page.

4. Watch fireworks at the pier. Placencia Village is so small that you're bound to catch a glimpse of the midnight fireworks no matter where you are; however, this is a great opportunity to immerse yourself into the village life culture. Join children and families at the Placencia Municipal Pier where the village council will have set up a fundraising bar, and food vendors will be selling home cooked meals at their stalls for a relative bargain.

5. Bring earplugs. If you value your sleep, you may want to have some earplugs handy, and it's not necessarily because of the thumping music at the parties, but the kids will be popping firecrackers incessantly − day and night. This torture for some goes on for weeks climaxing on New Year's Eve and tailing off during the following weeks while their supplies last. (Note: These firecrackers are illegally procured by sellers in Belize, but the police tolerates them during festive times of the year.)

6. Party. Party hard! I've had an equally fun time for NYE at Barefoot Bar and Tipsy Tuna Seaside and Sports Bar while being completely sober and also while at the very end of the other side of the spectrum that I must rely on photos the next day to piece together the wonderful memories. If high energy dancing appeals to you on New Year's Eve, Belize's top DJs booked just for this occasion alone, will make it really hard to resist the party vibes. So go out there and do NYE, PLACENCIA STYLE! ▪

Jolie Pollard began visiting Placencia from her native Belize City as a baby for annual holiday vacations with her family. After completing her bachelor’s in journalism in the USA and working in higher education fundraising at a small private liberal arts college on the Gulf Coast, she moved to Placencia in late 2011 to work with the Placencia Chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association. Jolie enjoys observing the evolution of Placencia life and trying to make sense of it all.