Millions celebrate arrival of 2006

NEW YORK — Hundreds of thousands of New Year's revelers rang in 2006 from Times Square, ignoring the sleet and snow to celebrate with noisy horns, hugs and kisses as the famous ball dropped on the final seconds of 2005.

"Now bring on peace and happiness!" exclaimed Tarra Meaders, visiting from Arlington, Texas, as the crowd burst into cheers.

Dick Clark was back after a stroke in 2004 forced him to miss his first New Year's Eve celebration in 32 years.

As confetti rained down and the numbers 2006 lit up over Times Square, the massive crowd stretching more than 10 blocks up Broadway and the surrounding streets sang "Auld Lang Syne" as one voice.

In Boston, fireworks lit up the night sky, and car horns honked across the city, where ice sculptures, parades, parties and fireworks kicked off the annual First Night celebration. Organizers estimated more than 1 million people were in the city to celebrate the new year.

Forecasters predicted 2 to 4 inches of snow in the city, with lows in the 20s, but partygoers were still in the spirit.

The theme in Boston was Mardi Gras, in honor of hurricane-ravaged New Orleans. The "Spirit of New Orleans" parade featured carnival masks, and jazz bands joined in.

New Orleans itself started the New Year's celebration with a traditionally festive jazz funeral procession in memory of its hurricane victims. Despite the devastation, the city decided to welcome 2006 with fireworks, concerts and a lowering of a giant gumbo pot.

"We're getting into the spirit," said Sharif Nadir, a 59-year-old writer who joined in. "I just hope it puts people into the spirit to rebuild."

In Los Angeles, a concert party expected to draw 20,000 revelers to six downtown blocks was canceled hours before it was scheduled to begin. Fire officials said they had safety concerns as a drenching storm moved through the region. Organizers said they would hold a makeup event.

Flooding from storms also forced Reno, Nev., to move its New Year's Eve fireworks back a day to today.

Las Vegas, meanwhile, kept in character — everything to excess — with the Strip's drunken revelry, a mass simultaneous New Year's Eve toast, complete with 14,000 plastic cups and some 200 cases of Chardonnay.