Minnesota kids got an early start to New Year’s celebrations

Ringing in 2024 with "Noon Year" dance party

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory held a "Noon Year" dance party for families with kids so they could ring in the new year early. FOX 9's Babs Santos has more.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - An annual family tradition at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory got a new look on Sunday: hundreds of thousands of pieces of biodegradable confetti.

"To see the kids be able to witness that and have confetti and celebration, I think it’s awesome," Tierra House said.

"It was so fun, very exciting," Tawnya Artysst-Anderson added. "A lot of kids are super excited to have all the confetti falling."

The confetti drop happened at noon, to keep young children on their sleep schedules.

"It’s something to do for the kids because then we get our adult time later," House said.

Event coordinator Nick Petermeier said Como Park expected 4,000 to 5,000 visitors throughout the day.

"It’s so nice that we’re going to do it twice," Petermeier said.

Anyone who wasn’t able to make the event on Sunday is invited to come back on New Year’s Day. Organizers plan to do it all over again, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.