New Year celebrated by large crowd at Creekmore Park

Many people start off the new year with resolutions. Marc and Michele Sparks decided to usher in 2012 with a lifelong commitment — marriage!

Marc, an account executive with KISR 93.7 FM, and his wife Michele tied the knot alongside the KISR Ball immediately after midnight. The couple has been together since September and decided a few weeks ago to get married. Marc thought: Why not New Year’s Eve? And three days ago, the venue was set.

"It was actually dawned upon us that New Year’s Eve would be the appropriate mark in out lives so we decided to get married right here in Creekmore Park in front of everybody," Marc said. "New Year’s Eve is a perfect time. Not only do you celebrate a new year but also a new beginning in life.”

According to Marc, he is aware of people proposing at the New Year’s celebration but no one has gotten married in the 35 or so years that KISR has been doing the ball drop.

The honeymoon didn’t begin immediately. Most folks working in media know that events often interfere with a personal life. Marc had to pack up the radio station’s gear while Michelle left with family ahead of him.

The earlier events of the evening were textbook New Year’s Eve celebration. A few notables this year were the presence of Imajerk BBQ that had a stand selling food and beverages and the crowd, which was larger than usual and probably numbered more than a thousand people. Temperatures were in the upper 50s through midnight making the celebration a very comfortable event and likely contributing to the large turnout.

"It’s way warmer this year and there are a lot more kids," said Jill Flanary who, along with her 6-year-old son Jack and husband Ross, participated in the festivities.

KISR broadcasted live from the park while the MS Soundworks mobile DJ truck pumped out the radio station’s music to the crowd.

The countdown began 10 seconds to midnight and the KISR Ball descended from atop a Holmes Erection crane. Fireworks filled the southern sky as revelers turned 180 degrees from the ball drop to watch the display.

The crowd dispersed shortly after midnight and only a few stragglers and cleanup crews remained.