First Night 2007

Does your city have a First Night celebration? Boston has the first, and largest First Night celebration in the US. Founded in 1976, First Night was started by a group of artists and local residents who sought an alternative to traditional New Year’s Eve revelry. Since then, the celebration has grown from a small arts event centered on the Boston Common to a major citywide festival of the arts with related year-round community programming.

First Night New Year's Eve activities take place from 1 pm to midnight on December 31st at over 40 indoor and outdoor venues throughout downtown Boston. The purchase of a First Night Button grants admission to venues featuring the best in theatre, dance, music, visual arts and film. Museums, theaters, churches and performance centers open their doors to First Night Button holders throughout the entire day.

Some of the most popular attractions include the Family Festival at the Hynes Convention Center with its interactive activities for all ages, gigantic ice sculptures on Copley Square and the Boston Common, two glittering fireworks displays, and a Mardi Gras-style Grand Procession that sweeps through the streets of Boston.

The procession, which starts around 4 pm, is the most amazing parade you've ever seen. Much of it is performed on stilts as childen from all over the city practice year round for a chance to march in the parade. Giant puppets, enormous dragons, African Queens, and many other spectacular figures join the march down Boylston Street as children from all over greater Boston cheer on the shoulders of their parents.

Our family's favorite are the ice sculptures. They are amazing, but due to the bizarre weather we've been having, they might melt before they've been finished this year. We'll go see, but I don't think we will last to the harbor fireworks this year.

The activities are mostly geared towards younger children, and the performances are outstanding but extremely crowded. In a warm weather year like this year, more of the outdoor activities will be popular. In cold weather years, the performances are packed to the gills.

An alternative to the more rowdy New Years Eve celebrations, First Night is a wonderful family-oriented tradition for Bostonians. There are many other cities around the country and in other countries that also have taken on this tradition as well. If you have a chance, I heartily recommend you try to attend a First Night celebration with your family.

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First Night 2007

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