Adios 2022!: New Yorkers noisily say goodbye to the disappointments of the past year
'29.12.2022'
Lyudmila Balabay
On December 28, New York said goodbye to 2022 and all the disappointments it brought. A noisy farewell to the outgoing year in Times Square is an annual tradition that had to be suspended during the pandemic, but now it has returned, writes AMNY.
The Good Riddance Day, organized by the Times Square Alliance, called on citizens to get rid of their personal trials and tribulations that the outgoing year brought to them. Hundreds of people gathered in Times Square on December 28. They wrote unpleasant memories for 2022 on small pieces of paper, which were then dramatically destroyed.
In the past, these papers were burned in Times Square and passed through a shredder. However, this tradition later changed, and now an obstacle course has been built at Broadway and West 46th Street for those who want to get rid of unpleasant memories of 2022.
“We have a fantastic team, they always come up with a creative approach to this event. This year we came up with a symbolic obstacle course,” said Regina Fojas of Time Square Alliance.
New Yorkers were asked to write the memory they want to get rid of on a special form. Then they had to tear this piece of paper, hit the punching bag and go through a short obstacle course. After that, each participant received a $30 gift card and a commemorative scarf. People of all ages have come together in this fun memory game.
One contestant named Mike Betzler beat cancer this year and came to Times Square to throw away the mask he was forced to wear during chemo, radiation and surgery. Betzler donned the mask as he passed the obstacle course and then stomped on it at the finish line.
“This is my anti-radiation mask, and I had to wear it 35 times, it’s not very pleasant,” Betzler said. “So I came to the Day of Relief from Bad Memories for a good reason.”
The event was sponsored by Netspend, whose CEO Kelly Knutson also completed the obstacle course. She rewarded the very first contestant with a $500 gift card.
