A dawn-to-midnight guide to celebrating New Year’s in Chennai

Bored of the usual plans and want to try something different to usher the new year in? We have got you covered from dawn to midnight

After two years of intimate kitchen sink parties and virtual gatherings, this year more people are venturing out to celebrate New Year’s Eve and Day, although the shadow of the pandemic is still upon us. We have a few ideas to keep you busy till you usher in 2023. Let the fun begin early.

A healthy start

Can’t round up your hungover or lazy squad for an activity? You can always join these running and cycling groups in the city. Most of them end and begin the year with a run or ride. WCCG (We Chennai Cyclists Group) that has 19 chapters across the city gets together for an early morning ride on December 31. Each chapter cycles to their preferred spots like Muttukadu, Akkarai beach, Besant Nagar beach, and the lighthouse at Marina beach. It usually ends with cake cutting and a photo shoot. Twenty-four hours later, they are back again, cycling together and catching the first sunrise of the year. “We organise the newbie ride on the first of January every year. It’s for people who want to have a fitter lifestyle. Lot of people make resolutions to be healthy. Around 300 new riders participate in this each year. Many of them translate to regular riders,” says Priya D of WCCG. It is open to all, across age groups.

The newbie ride covers 25 kilometres and starts at three different points: at the Just Buy Cycles outlets in Velachery, Tambaram and Anna Nagar. “Even if you don’t have a cycle , you can rent one at the venue.

As you cycle along ECR, you are bound to meet eager runners. That lot also surfaces at the crack of dawn and glides down the stretch like gazelle. “No matter how late we party or how much we drink, we wake up in time for our run,” says Aditi Mukherjee, a member of Coastal Runners. New Year’s run is a big deal for them. “It’s a culture we’ve established,” she adds. On weekends a section of ECR is blocked between 5am and 7am for runners and cyclists. Hundreds of enthusiasts join and it is great motivation, says Aditi.

A part of Chennai Runners, Coastal Runners was started in 2014. The group meets at Thiruvanmiyur Beach at 5.15 am and does a 10- kilometre run. For those interested in running in the evening, the group can organise a run along the coast of Thiruvanmiyur, Palavakkam and Neelankarai.

11am to 5pm