HERMISTON — Out with the old and in with the new will happen in spectacular fashion this New Year’s Eve in Hermiston.

The Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center is marking the end of 2023 and the start of 2024 with a new event for Hermiston: the Año Viejo Celebration.

Celebrated throughout Latin American, the celebration typically involves creating a human-size ragdoll and burning it in order to visually cast off the negative things from the past year — “Año Viejo” is “old year” in Spanish — and move on to the new year. EOTEC General Manager Al Davis said the idea came from a conversation with Hermiston residents recalling traditions they’d grown up with.

“In typical fashion, I jumped in with both feet,” Davis said with a laugh. “Everybody is always looking for something to do in Hermiston for new year’s, and this is something both new and traditional.”

As part of its celebration, EOTEC will have a life-size dummy to burn in a bonfire, and attendees can participate by writing down their own sentiments to burn or by bringing their own rag dolls, as long as they don’t represent a specific person. There will be a contest for most creative doll.

“We’re just getting rid of our old baggage from last year and coming into the new year fresh,” Davis said.

In addition to the bonfire, the Año Viejo Celebration will include games, vendors, music and a viewing of the Times Square Ball Drop on a big screen. It will also be one of the last two nights to enjoy the “Festival of Lights” before the displays are put away.

“We’re pretty excited about it and getting people together to celebrate,” Davis said. “We’re really trying to make it a family and friends function. If there are things your family does for a tradition for New Year’s, bring it with you.”

Gates will open at 8 p.m., and Davis said the event will end sometime between midnight and 1 a.m.

The event is still looking for food and craft vendors who would like to participate as well as any local dancers, bands or singers that would like to perform in addition to the DJ. For more information or to sign up, vendors and performers can contact EOTEC at 541-289-9800 or email Davis at adavis@eotechermiston.com

“We hope everyone will come and have a good time,” he said. “We’re looking to make this an annual event if we can, and we can only do annual events if people show up.”

For more information about activities at EOTEC, visit www.facebook.com/eotechermistonor.