sa国际传媒官网网页入口

Allie Del Villar and her husband Luis Del Villar took their 7-month old boy Magnus to the Explora Science Center and Children鈥檚 Museum in sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Sunday to ring in Magnus鈥� first new year.

鈥淲e thought he would be into the balloons,鈥� she said, adding they were hopeful 鈥渉e鈥檚 in bed way before midnight.鈥�

The event is the first of many the Del Villars hope to celebrate with their son in 2024 and beyond.

Luis said their new year鈥檚 resolution is to 鈥渆xperience everything new with him.鈥�

The Del Villars were three of about 1,200 people to come to the museum鈥檚 鈥淣oon Year鈥檚 Eve鈥� party, an event that allowed people with kids to celebrate the new year 12 hours earlier than most did in the city.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we came out,鈥� parent Bernadette Barnes said, adding that there are not many New Year鈥檚 events for kids.

Explora Communications and Marketing Manager Amythyst Marciano said the event is 鈥渟omething that we love to offer.鈥�

鈥業t鈥檚 about all of us鈥�

At 11:59:50, the 鈥淣oon Year鈥檚鈥� countdown began.

Ten...nine...eight...

Parents and guardians carried their little ones 鈥� some wearing cone-shaped Explora hats 鈥� in their arms or held their hands as they prepared for the magical moment.

A few seconds later, the clock hit 12 p.m. and 2,024 colorful balloons descended into the crowd standing around a staircase. People blew their New Year鈥檚 noise makers, hugged and kissed their kids and other relatives, and sipped cups of water and juice.

Laura Talento, a Chicago resident who came to sa国际传媒官网网页入口 with her husband and two kids to visit family, said Sunday was a different way to kick off the new year. It鈥檚 fun to have something catered toward the kids, she said as her 1-year-old son Evan Talento played an instrument called the 鈥淢elody Maker鈥� before the balloon drop.

For parents like Laura and the Del Villars, New Year鈥檚 is not an event to just celebrate by themselves or with a spouse anymore.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about all of us,鈥� Laura said.