Cape rings in New Year Big Apple-style

COURTESY PHOTO Last year 1,500 people celebrated the New Year at Cape Harbour in Southwest Cape Coral. Organizers are expecting twice that crowd this year, so get there early. Traditionally a lighted ball slowly drops to signal the start of the New Year in New York's Times Square.

Not to be outdone, Cape Coral's Cape Harbour offers its own dropping ball on New Year's Eve at midnight to signal 2008 has begun.

To add to the celebration in the boating community, there will be a fireworks show when the strobe-light lit ball drops from the 15th floor of Marina South condominiums at the southernmost end of Chiquita Boulevard.

Take that Times Square.

And take this too - Cape Harbour's fine restaurants, Rumrunners, The Joint and Pignoli an Epicurean Marketplace will offer great food, drinks and live music to see the New Year in with a flourish.

"The public is welcome, we expect 3,000 people to be here this year," said Bob "The Bone" Mulroy, a managing partner of The Joint. "The Joint will be first come first served. Rumrunners is taking reservations and so is Pignoli."

COURTESY PHOTO A strobe-lit ball hits at the stroke of midnight on New Year's 2007 at Cape Harbour in Cape Coral. This year's event will be similar to last years but bigger, organizers said. Last year the event drew about 1,500 to see the New Year in.

"Last year we had only been open one month when we got to New Year's Eve," said Candice Pakitsos, personnel director. "It was walls of people and we handled it really well. This year no one gets the night off, everybody works."

Count on more than 65 staffers at The Joint and its outdoor cabana bar, Long- Boards, to serve up food and drinks. All the restaurants will have their full staffs involved to handle the hungry crowds.

There will also be plenty of security to remind people not to become overenthusiastic, said Mulroy.

"We want everyone to have a good safe time. Parking could be a problem," Mulroy said. "So we are running a shuttle from the Publix lot at the corner of Cape Coral Parkway and Chiquita to and from the party."

Not to let Times Square get away with anything, Frank Caputo, chef and partner said there will be vendors around the promenade offering hot dogs and bratwurst among other goodies.

"We'll have lobster and individual beef Wellingtons at the restaurant," Caputo said. "This year we have a suite for rent at $500 a person, where people can really watch the whole show from the seventh floor."

The stores along the promenade have the option of closing at 3 p.m. that day, said Sean Lucas, a managing partner at The Joint. But with all the food, beverages and the music of Head Count, shopping might not be anyone's priority on New Years Eve anyway.

That night usually is to let-the-goodtimes roll crowd. Head Count, a local favorite, will play its mix of rock 'n' roll, country rock and blues starting at 8 p.m. The band has performed at the usual Tuesday night shows on the Promenade in Cape Harbour.

No reservations needed for dining at The Joint.

Reservations are necessary at Rumrunners 542-0200 and Pignoli 542-0800.