MOBILE, AL--(Marketwire - Dec 27, 2012) - Hotels near Mobile Bay are gearing up for what promises to be another exciting New Year's Eve celebration in downtown Mobile. This year's annual MoonPie drop will bring with it a Mardi Gras-style parade and a midnight show from the legendary group The Commodores.

The party takes place at the corner of St. Joseph and St. Francis streets, near this hotel in Mobile, AL, where the MoonPie drop, laser show and fireworks will light up the night sky from atop the RSA BankTrust Building. The MoonPie, a Mardi Gras tradition since they were first thrown by maskers riding parade floats in 1952, will be at the center of the celebration for its fifth year in a row.

"All eyes will be on Mobile this New Year's Eve," Kent Blackinton, general manager of Renaissance Riverview Plaza and president of the Mobile Hotel Association, says. "We have added more family-friendly activities to make this great party even better this year."

The free event, close to this Alabama Gulf Coast hotel, gets started at 7:30pm, when a parade will make its way through downtown. Local and regional acts, including Wet Willie Band, Hotwire and Grayson Capps, will take the stage in historic Bienville Square and at Government and Royal streets on Austal's Mardi Gras Park. The Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center and History Museum of Mobile, located in the park, will offer family-friendly activities for the kids. Throughout the evening, party-goers will have the chance to reflect on the past year and set forth their hopes for the future with the Reach for the Moon resolution wall. Chattanooga Bakery will also have the world's largest edible MoonPie on display and available for sampling.

At 11:30pm, The Commodores will get the crowd going for the MoonPie drop. At midnight, the 12-foot-tall electronic MoonPie will drop from the 34-story RSA BankTrust skyrise, welcoming 2013 in a flash of lights.

About the Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel
Offering contemporary design, world-class amenities and a convenient location in the heart of downtown Mobile, the Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel is the perfect place for business travelers and vacationing families alike. Directly connected to the Arthur Outlaw Convention Center via a skywalk, this AAA Four Diamond hotel is a smart choice for Gulf Coast meetings, offering 44,000 square feet of event space, a 24-hour fitness center, two Club levels, an outdoor heated pool and proximity to the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Each of this Gulf Coast hotel's 373 rooms and 10 suites offers free Wi-Fi, a mini-fridge, desk with ergonomic chair, 42-inch LCD TV, coffee/tea service and plush bedding package. Club-level guests enjoy access to the private lounge with continental breakfast and evening hors d'oeuvres. For an elegant meal of local seafood and seasonal local produce, book a table at The Harbor Room. Find small plates, hand-crafted cocktails, live music, plasma TVs and outdoor seating with firepits at Fathoms Lounge. Within walking distance guests can explore the Carnival Museum, Battleship Park, Senior Bowl Museum, Gulf Coast Exploreum & IMAX, Museum of Mobile, Fort Conde and the Dauphin Street entertainment district.