A New Year’s Eve for all to enjoy

F resh snow and frigid weather didn’t put a damper on the celebrations around town as Spokane celebrated the end of 2007 and the beginning of a new year.

Outdoors, families watched performances and sipped hot chocolate as they took in the festivities. Boots, mittens and scarves kept out the chill.

Indoors, at Spokane Opera’s Diamonds and Divas gala in the Davenport Hotel’s Grand Pennington Ballroom, women in bare shoulders and men in tuxedos, sipped champagne and bid on fine wines.

After dinner, with music provided by the Spokane Opera Orchestra, conducted by Dean Williamson, guests were treated to performances by operatic arias, ballet and a special piano performance by Greg Pressley.

In addition to the traditional waltz, couples moved to the dance floor to dance to tunes by the Gary Edighoffer Quartet.

At midnight, the toast to the New Year was heralded by the sound of fireworks outside.

After the celebrations ended men, women and children, some dressed for the weather and others dressed to the nines, strolled along the sidewalks of downtown as they made their way home.

That’s the best thing about the social scene in Spokane. It doesn’t matter if you prefer high spirits to high style.

There’s something for everyone.