‘It’s really a special place’: Lincoln bar rings in the new year with live bands

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – People flocked to the bars in downtown Lincoln on Tuesday night to ring in the new year.

Peter Watters, the owner of The Zoo Bar, said the bar has a long tradition of selling out live band shows for New Year’s Eve.

He discovered there is a need for earlier celebrations rather than waiting until midnight.

So The Zoo Bar offered a show at 5 and 9 p.m.

“We’ve found out there’s a good market for a lot of people that want to have fun early on and then go home at a good hour,” he said. “And then we’ll have a traditional last one, too, with another band and a DJ, and that one will go and we’ll do the countdown to midnight and everything.”

Watters also said many bars are having live bands and drink specials to give the people of Lincoln an exciting night.

“I know they’ve got live music at Duffy’s around the corner,” he said. “They have a DJ over at O’Rourke’s, and they have a dance party over there, so there’s a lot of fun to be had right in this little neighborhood,” he said.

Before most bars opened at 4 p.m., people were already standing at the doors waiting to get in.

Two Zoo Bar customers were very excited about continuing the tradition of good entertainment for the new year.

“They just bring live music to Lincoln, they’ve been doing it for, what, over 40 years?” Jennifer Johnson said. “It’s really a special place, and you get to see some world-class music here that you won’t get to see anywhere else. Every single night.”

Others are choosing to stay in or celebrate with family.

Melanie on the Now Local News App said she would take part in a virtual wine tasting.

“You’re all together on Zoom talking about the wines and pairing it with the foods together all with local people,” she said. “So it’s a fun way to have a great time and be safe at home.”