Phoenix area NYE celebrations not letting rain ruin plans

PHOENIX - Many are excited to leave 2021 behind and see what 2022 brings, but some celebrations are already making changes, and not just because of COVID-19, but also due to the bad weather headed our way.

There are many celebrations planned in Phoenix, and many locations are happy to be back open after the pandemic canceled their plans last year, but now some bars are battling the upcoming rainstorms expected for Friday, New Year's Eve.

Varsity Tavern in downtown Tempe is expected to be packed.

"I’m hoping this new year brings us a little more normalcy," says the tavern's manager, Breana Malpass. "Our bar crawl is something where people can walk around, they can see the different bars on Mill. It kind of brings everybody together to see what Mill has to offer."

Over at Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale, Fat Tuesday is happy to be back after canceling festivities in 2020.

Shannon Kiner, a bartender at Fat Tuesday, says, "We are expecting it to be completely sold out. It was sold out our first year doing it right before COVID, so this year we’re expecting it to sell out as well."

Six bars at Westgate will be celebrating together with live music, food, champagne, and they say the show will go on, rain or shine.

For other celebrations, like the New Year's Eve Block Party in downtown Phoenix, it's being moved indoors. The event was scheduled at a local park and will now be held at the Walter Where?House.

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• New Year's celebrations shelved across the globe as COVID-19 surges, here's who canceled and who hasn't
• Winter weather across Arizona brings rain, snow and dangerous driving conditions

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