Seventy-seven-year-old Elizabeth Dela Cruz celebrated the incoming New Year at Aloha Tower Marketplace to get away from noisy fireworks in Ewa Beach.

“;I feel great New Year's Eve here,”; said Dela Cruz, resplendent in her teal, purple, green and black sequined top hat emblazoned with “;Happy New Year!”;

“;I come here every year. I don't like to have loud fireworks.”;

Dela Cruz and an anticipated crowd of 3,000 to 5,000 other revelers gathered downtown to count down the New Year with a professional fireworks display over Honolulu Harbor at midnight.

The weather may have dampened some celebrations as a heavy rain fell over much of Oahu.

But Honolulu Fire Department statistics show fewer people are popping traditional firecrackers on Oahu as legal fireworks use is dropping. The number of fireworks permits sold at satellite city halls this year fell to 6,924 from 9,219 sold last year, according to the Fire Department.

That could be due to a decline in spending due to the economy. But colorful illegal aerials and the thundering explosive booms from other types of illegal fireworks could be seen and heard in neighborhoods across the island last night.

Dela Cruz said she invites her family to Aloha Tower, but “;they say, 'No, we're going to stay home with the kids,' so I come here and enjoy myself.”;

She awaited the Frank De Lima comedy show and enjoyed the music of the pre-fireworks show.

Stephanie Yeung, 24, of Honolulu and Nathaniel Court, 29, of Kaneohe were dressed as time bandits - in masks and armed with toy sabers on their backs.

They were participating in what they described as the “;Quest for Father Time,”; a “;Da Vinci Code”; scavenger/treasure hunt event to find clues that will lead to the secret location of their New Year's Eve bash.

Yeung, wearing a black evening dress and comfortable shoes, wore a backpack containing her high heels more fitting for a New Year's celebration.

Court, wearing his cardboard top hat with “;Happy New Year”; in gold, said the Raven Chase Adventures cost $125 and that about 40 others were gathering at the Aloha Tower Marketplace parking lot.

The rainy weather may have also reduced the number of fireworks related calls, at least early in the evening.

The Fire Department did report a few fireworks-related fires as of yesterday evening, including a brush fire on Kamilonui Place in Hawaii Kai, but no property or people were affected.

Additionally, the Fire Department responded to eight rubbish fires as of 9 p.m. last night.

On Tuesday a small grass fire along Farrington Highway in Waianae was the single fireworks-related blaze reported for Oahu.