The island looks set to party hard and welcome in the new year with a bang as organisers report healthy business for the events lined up.

This year, people want to party

“This year, for sure, compared to last year people seem to want to party more. We are handling six different events and catering for about 5,000 people,” said Edward D’Alessandro, CEO of outside caterer Catermax.

“This year, the trend... is people want to party” he added.

He said it was so busy that they had to close off bookings “because we were chock-a-block with requests”.

Party organiser Owen Spiteri, from G7 Events, said there had been an increase in attendance for their New Year’s Eve parties when compared with previous years.

They were expecting about 40,000 people for their event, which would be a national affair, to be held in conjunction with the Floriana and Valletta local councils.

Mr Spiteri said it would incorporate three stages, in the stretch between Castille, in Valletta, and the Granaries, in Floriana, and will be filmed by the national broadcaster.

Further up north, in St Julian’s, the Westin Dragonara Hotel, which is hosting two gala dinners and two other events, said that the expected turnout was good.

A director of Island Caterers, Raphael Cauchi, said compared with last year there had been an increase and when it came to the Christmas festivities they had been sold out before the start of December.

Mr Cauchi said that it was a pity that they had not enough space because they could have easily doubled the revenue.

He added that, in terms of outside catering, the numbers had also increased though some organisations decided to spend a little less.

Another events organiser, Darren Portelli, from Privé promoters, said that while he agreed that there was a general increase and a healthy demand for parties he would be holding a somewhat smaller event, catering for about 350 people because smaller parties were what people were looking for.

Despite promoters reporting a high turnout, liquor merchants Charles Grech Limited reckoned that the New Year’s Eve celebrations usually followed the trend of the Christmas holidays, during which they noted an increase in sales to people having parties at home.

Party promoter Eman Pulis said that one would have to look at the age group concerned because teenagers would prefer a party event whereas those in their 30s would opt for something more intimate.

It’s going to be a cold one!

The beautiful weather over the weekend will change slightly to become partly cloudy on New Year’s Eve.

The wind will also pick up again and a light mainly northerly wind backing northwest, ranging from force two to three, is expected to prevail.

As most people get ready to celebrate the end of 2012 and usher in the new year, party-goers and those not staying in might want to dress up warmly against the chilly temperatures.

In fact, it is not expected to get warmer than 17°C and the mercury could drop to 9°C.

There is also a 25 per cent chance of rain. High pressure extends from the Atlantic towards northern Algeria and central Libya, as an area of low pressure over northeast Libya moves slowly eastwards.

A spokesman for the Met Office said that the average temperature between December 21 and December 30 ranged from a high of 16.3°C to a low of 10.5°C.

Tonight’s events in Valletta and Floriana

St George’s Square, in Valletta, will host the main stage, starting with William Mangion performing some piano bar classics.

Kurt Calleja will follow with his New Year’s Eve edition of Cabaret & More featuring Warren Bonello and Brooke.

DJ Pierre Cordina will then take over and play some of the best hits of 2012 before a 3D countdown show, including stage pyrotechnics and fireworks.

The audiovisual countdown being prepared by organisers G7 Events, produced by local production company Shadeena and supported by the Malta Arts Fund, will include a 3D architectural projection on the President’s Palace, an innovative technique that has risen in popularity around the world in recent years.

The technique involves the use of high powered projectors to cast audiovisual animations on buildings in the square that create the illusion of distorting space and 3D effects.

The countdown will also start the celebrations leading to V18 Valletta European Capital of Culture. After the countdown, Gianni and Ivan Filletti will perform.

A children’s area will also be set up in the new Jean De Valette Square, while Zoo will perform in the new open air theatre, together with Centre Stage.

This year’s event is being co-organised by the Valletta and Floriana local councils and aims to spread the festive atmosphere throughout most of the two localities by holding entertainment events in various streets and squares.

The events in Floriana are organised by the Floriana local council in collaboration with Justin Attard Promotions. Though this is the fourth edition of the event, it will be the first time that activities will be held at the Granaries, Malta’s biggest square.

Mikaela, Yorika, Raquela, Luisana Bartolo, Paul Borg Bonaci and other top local talents will take everyone on a musical journey from the 1960s to today.

They will be accompanied by a live band made up of some of the finest musicians and Toby, a top DJ and producer.

The much-acclaimed comedy show Bla Kondixin will also feature on the night.