Thiruvananthapuram City rings in New Year in high spirits

2025 New Year celebrations in the city featured music, dance, fireworks, and tight security to ensure safety for all.

The city welcomed 2025 with dance, music, cheers, midnight parties, and fireworks.

While beaches at tourist destinations drew good crowds, New Year programmes organised by private players in the hospitality sector at Kovalam, Varkala, and Poovar spiced up the celebrations. Hotels had arranged gala dinners, deejays, light shows, and games to attract people of all age groups. Families and friends gathered to shake a leg to pulsating music and enjoy the countdown to midnight. Teenagers and the youth especially seemed intent on having a good time, singing along and swinging to the latest hits. Many tourists from outside the State and abroad had reached the beach destinations to bid adieu to 2024 and ring in the New Year on a high note.

A midnight music and dance extravaganza organised by the Lulu Group saw a number of city residents make a beeline for it. The roads around the Lulu Mall were crowded with people ready to soak in the New Year spirit

City residents and those from the suburbs also headed for the Kanakakkunnu Palace grounds where the 10-day Vasantholsavam and light festival organised by the Department of Tourism was the only official event to be held on the eve of New Year. The New Year light show ‘Illuminating Joy, Spreading Harmony’ has been lighting up the city’s streets and heritage structures. The extensive display also features a curated flower show and flowers brought from outside Kerala. The colourful lighting at Kanakakkunnu has been attracting large crowds in recent times and the New Year eve was no exception.

Many shops, particularly eateries, tea shops, and roadside thattukadas, stayed open late into the night hoping to do brisk business.

The City police threw a tight security ring to prevent accidents and curb drunk driving. Police personnel, including the mounted police, could be seen around the city keeping a close eye on revellers, particularly after midnight, and ensuring their safety. Nearly 1,300 personnel were deployed across key locations, particularly the coastal areas, to prevent altercations and brawls, besides ensuring road safety.