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On Thursday, city officials announced plans to host a big New Year’s Eve party at Auditorium Shores which will celebrate cultural diversity, healthy lifestyles and environmental awareness.

"Austin is a hub for live music and fun festivities and people want to bring their kids out and welcome in the New Year," Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole said.

In its third year, Austin’s free New Year party is an alcohol-free, family-friendly festival that includes art, films and interactive displays.

But there are some serious messages, too.

"It is illegal to possess or to use fireworks in the City of Austin,” Matt Orta with the Austin Fire Department said. “I want to encourage everyone to leave the fireworks to the professionals."

And firearms are not fireworks.

"If you scan the headlines around this nation, you will find somebody on midnight that will be seriously injured or killed from somebody shooting a weapon up into the air," Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said.

And for those partaking in adult beverages on New Year’s Eve, Capital Metro has them covered. All of their transportation services are free that night.

"The police department went so far again this year helping to fund (this). We went 50-50 with our friends at Cap Metro for free rides on the bus that night,” Chief Acevedo said. “There is no excuse."

And if you have ideas to make the party better, the city wants to hear them.

"We have a text messaging program set up for people to tell us what they like and what they want and then we modify it to try to make it even better for next year," Cole said.

Headlining the music are Latin rockers Del Castillo. ANY starts at 5 p.m. and ends with a fireworks display at 10 p.m.