Regardless of what else may or may not happen on New Year’s Eve, there are going to be fireworks in Montezuma County — both in Cortez and at the Ute Mountain Casino.

For the fifth year, the city is sponsoring its free New Year’s Eve Extravaganza in Parque de Vida. The fete will kick-off at 10 p.m., with the Dr. Steel and the Memory Makers supplying the bluegrass and jazz tunes and municipal elves handing out hot drinks and snacks.

Then at midnight, a 10- to15-minute display of pyro-technics will mark the date many people are celebrating as the advent of the new millennium, but that everyone recognizes as the beginning of 2000, at least.

Fireworks will also be added to the New Year’s Eve festivities at the casino, marketing director Steve Neely announced recently, to enhance that growing tradition.

"We realize that the Y2K scare has a lot of people staying closer to home this New Year’s Eve," Neely said. "We want everyone to enjoy a first-class experience as we change into a new millennium — without having to leave town to get it."

Traditionally the largest party of the year, this New Year’s celebration is expected to be bigger than ever because of the millennium changeover.

The fireworks show will be the second at the casino. The first was last July 4, and the same company will provide the pyrotechnics for New Year’s Eve.

In addition to the fireworks show, the casino will be giving one guest the chance to win $100,000. Customers will be asked to fill out a registration ticket when they enter the Bingo Hall (which requires a $5 entrance fee). After they fill out their tickets, they will receive party favors and a glass of non-alcoholic champagne.

Live music will begin at 8 p.m. and last until 2 a.m. and a huge dance floor will be set up.

Starting at 9 p.m., there will be cash giveaways for players who are actively playing, using their Mountain Gold Card. Players will win 2,000 coins of varying amounts every half-hour. Winners will be selected twice an hour until 1:30 a.m.

At 1:45 a.m., 100 patrons will be selected, and one of them will get to choose a single envelope out of 100 envelopes for a chance to win $100,000 if they choose the grand-prize envelope. If they do not choose it, they will win whatever is printed inside the envelope that they do pick. All 100 contestants will win prizes, including cash, player points, and casino merchandise.

Free shuttle service is available from Cortez with hourly service from the Montezuma-Cortez High School parking lot beginning at 2:30 p.m. Shuttle service is available for your home if you call the casino two hours in advance.

As in years past, the casino will stay open 24 hours for the New Year’s Eve celebration, returning to its normal 4 a.m. closing time on Jan. 1.