# First Night

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Artistic and cultural celebration on New Year's Eve

This article is about New Year's Eve celebrations. For other uses, see [First Night (disambiguation)](/source/First_Night_(disambiguation)).

An [ice sculpture](/source/Ice_sculpture) at First Night Boston

**First Night** is a North American artistic and cultural celebration on [New Year's Eve](/source/New_Year's_Eve), taking place from afternoon until midnight. Some cities have all their events during the celebration outside, but some cities have events that are hosted indoors by organizations in the city, especially clustered in the local [historic downtown](/source/Historic_districts_in_the_United_States) which are easily [walkable](/source/Walkability) to each other, such as churches and theaters. The celebration is [family-friendly](/source/Family-friendly) and [alcohol-free](/source/Alcohol-free_zone), serving as an alternative to conventional adult New Year's parties that are abundant with alcohol. Since it happens on New Year's Eve, First Night celebrations are actually held on the last night of the old year. First Night celebrates a community's local culture, often featuring music, dance, comedy, art, fireworks and, in some cities, [ice sculptures](/source/Ice_sculpture) and parades.

## Boston

First conceived by Clara Wainwright[1] for the December 31, 1975 celebration in [Boston](/source/Boston), First Night organized a small group of artists and musicians seeking to perform on stages, both indoor and outdoor. The event also sought to avoid the emphasis on alcohol typical of New Year's Eve parties.[2] Soon other surrounding communities started their own First Night celebrations. By the 1990s, the First Night Boston event was attracting works by over a thousand artists.[3] In 2006, more than a million visitors attended First Night events, including free outdoor ice sculptures on [Boston Common](/source/Boston_Common) and in [Copley Square](/source/Copley_Square), and waterfront fireworks.[4]

Until 2015, live coverage of the final part of Boston's First Night, including the countdown to midnight and fireworks over [Boston Harbor](/source/Boston_Harbor) that begin at the stroke of midnight, was broadcast by [WBZ-TV](/source/WBZ-TV). [CBS](/source/CBS), the station's parent company, was an official sponsor.

In 2013, the non-profit First Night Boston organization closed for financial reasons, though [Mayor Menino](/source/Mayor_Menino) of Boston (in office for only another year) pledged to find private or public funding the January 2014 celebration.[5] On November 11, 2013, Mayor Menino announced he had acquired the necessary funding and that the 2013 First Night would be “a bigger, brighter display than ever before.”[6]

The city of Boston took over the First Night festivities in 2015 and hired an [event planning](/source/Event_management) firm to manage the smaller and scaled back event.[7]

In 2016, television coverage of the festivities was transferred to [NBCUniversal](/source/NBCUniversal)-owned properties including [NECN](/source/New_England_Cable_News), [Telemundo](/source/Telemundo) owned station [WNEU](/source/WNEU) and newly acquired [NBC](/source/NBC) owned station [WBTS-LD](/source/WYCN-LD); the latter used the event to help launch the station's NBC affiliation, which took effect on January 1, 2017.

There was no celebration in 2020 due to the [COVID-19 pandemic](/source/COVID-19_pandemic_in_Massachusetts).

## Other cities

A "giant acorn" is lowered on First Night in Raleigh, North Carolina, nicknamed the City of Oaks.

By 1999, First Night celebrations were being held in more than 200 cities.[8] In 2000, more than 260 cities had such a celebration. However, in 2001, 20 cities dropped out of the First Night celebrations due to the effects of the [September 11 attacks](/source/September_11_attacks) and/or money difficulties.[9]

During the [Great Recession](/source/Great_Recession), which began in late 2007, many First Night celebrations faced financial difficulty, being scaled back or canceled.[10][11][12]

There were about 45 cities with First Night celebrations happening on New Year's Eve 2013/2014.[13]

As a result of the [COVID-19 pandemic](/source/COVID-19_pandemic), starting on New Year's Eve 2020, First Night events were scaled back or cancelled in many cities and several places enforced measures such as wearing masks and [social distancing](/source/Social_distancing).

## National organization

First Night USA is the national offshoot of the original Boston organization. It works with the numerous First Night licensed events throughout the United States.[13]

Other celebrations on New Year's Eve, not labeled "First Night", have also sprung up. For example, in 2003, First Night Providence announced they planned to cancel future celebrations, which had been going on for 19 years. A group of local artists created Bright Night Providence, an artist-run New Year's Eve celebration based on the idea and spirit of First Night.[14]

## References

- [New Jersey portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:New_Jersey)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["A Quiet Kind of Act"](http://magazine.art21.org/2014/05/29/a-quiet-kind-of-act/#.WM8F0xLyvSI). *Art21 Magazine*. Retrieved 31 May 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Has the Ball Dropped on First Night Worcester?"](http://www.worcestermag.com/home/top-stories/Has-the-Ball-Dropped-on-First-Night-Worcester-136014598.html?m=y&smobile=y). *[Worcester Magazine](/source/Worcester_Magazine)*. December 2011.{{[cite news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_news)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Nordheimer, Jon (1990-12-26). [A New Year's Fete Of Art, Not Alcohol](https://www.nytimes.com/1990/12/26/garden/a-new-year-s-fete-of-art-not-alcohol.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. Retrieved on 2009-04-06.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Tribune_4-0)** Ford, Rosemary (2006-12-28). [Carving out First Night Boston; Local ice sculptor lends frozen art to annual celebration](http://www.eagletribune.com/pulife/local_story_362094555) [Deprecated link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Archive.today_guidance) archived 2013-01-22 at [archive.today](/source/Archive.today). *[The Eagle Tribune](/source/The_Eagle_Tribune)*. Retrieved on 2009-04-06.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["First Night, creator of the city's longtime New Year's Eve celebration, to cease operations"](https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/06/20/first-night-creator-city-longtime-new-year-eve-celebration-cease-operations/XxXDvkP8l16znqkwJ6NRyI/story.html). *[The Boston Globe](/source/The_Boston_Globe)*. June 21, 2013. Retrieved 31 May 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Mayor Menino announces First Night plans after festival had appeared to be in jeopardy"](https://www.boston.com/uncategorized/noprimarytagmatch/2013/11/07/mayor-menino-announces-first-night-plans-after-festival-had-appeared-to-be-in-jeopardy/). *The Boston Globe*. November 7, 2013. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131111033450/http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2013/11/07/mayor-menino-announces-first-night-plans-festival-had-appeared-jeopardy/YKhDEaFqYWSiefMcPbkqbL/story.html) from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 31 May 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Filipov, David (November 7, 2013). ["Fireworks are returning to First Night festival"](https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2017/12/17/first-night-midnight-fireworks-show-back/Vit2kRXGWTLraCuEYAZxzK/story.html). *[The Boston Globe](/source/The_Boston_Globe)*. Retrieved 31 May 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Major cities plan New Year's parties"](http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DP&p_theme=dp&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF4544F5D59DE4&p_field_direct-0=document_id). *Denver Post*. October 10, 1999.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["First Night fireworks fizzle out"](http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=WO&p_theme=wo&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=12C8478E8C88E490&p_field_direct-0=document_id). *[Worcester Telegram Gazette](/source/Worcester_Telegram_Gazette)*. December 9, 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-wbur1_10-0)** Steve Brown (October 28, 2009). ["First Night Boston Weathers Financial Storm"](http://www.wbur.org/2009/10/28/first-night). WBUR.org. Retrieved 2009-12-24.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-austonchronicle1_11-0)** Robert Faires (August 28, 2009). ["First Night Austin: Going forward despite the turbulence"](http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid:826349). The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-12-24.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-allbusiness1_12-0)** Rosemary Ponnekanti (October 18, 2007). ["First Night getting new life: Organizers pare New Year's party"](http://www.allbusiness.com/humanities-social-science/visual-performing-arts/11974522-1.html). AllBusiness.com. Retrieved 2009-12-24.[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-firstnightcities_13-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-firstnightcities_13-1) ["All First Night Cities for 2013/2014 New Years Eve"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131218134659/http://www.firstnightalexandria.org/about/first-night-cities). First Night Alexandria. Archived from [the original](http://www.firstnightalexandria.org/about/first-night-cities) on 2013-12-18. Retrieved 2013-12-16.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-brightnight1_14-0)** ["New Year's Eve Celebration"](http://www.brightnight.org/). Bright Night Providence. Retrieved 2009-12-24.

## External links

- [First Night USA](https://web.archive.org/web/20091224113038/http://www.firstnightusa.org/)

v t e New Year's Eve and New Year's Day Events America's Party First Night Hogmanay New Year's Eve in London Russian New Year celebration Objects dropped on New Year's Eve Peach Drop Pelican Drop Réveillon de Copacabana Sydney New Year's Eve Taipei New Year's Eve Party The Possum Drop Times Square Ball Twelve Grapes Vienna New Year's Concert Millennium celebrations Sports College Football Playoff bowl games Rose Orange Sugar Fiesta Cotton Peach Other college football games Citrus Bowl Gator Bowl ReliaQuest Bowl Tour de Ski JFA Emperor's Cup Final Four Hills Tournament NHL Winter Classic Spengler Cup Final IIHF World Junior Championship Team Canada New Year's Eve Game Saint Silvester Road Race New Year Sprint Nos Galan road race Parades Tournament of Roses Parade London's New Year's Day Parade Florida Citrus Parade Mummers Parade Television United States New Year's Rockin' Eve New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash Fox New Year's Eve specials NBC New Year's Eve specials CNN New Year's Eve Live ¡Feliz! MTV New Year's Eve specials Happy New Year, America Red Bull New Year No Limits Rudolph's Shiny New Year Happy New Year, Charlie Brown! First Night 2013 with Jamie Kennedy Sesame Street Stays Up Late! Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne United Kingdom BBC New Year's Eve specials BBC Scotland's Hogmanay The Big Fat Quiz of the Year Chewin' the Fat Jools' Annual Hootenanny Only an Excuse? Scotch and Wry STV Hogmanay specials The White Heather Club International 2000 Today Canada US Ireland Hello 2021 Elsewhere Áramótaskaupið Bye Bye Dinner for One Kōhaku Uta Gassen Little Blue Light MBC Gayo Daejejeon Silvesterstadl Sylvesterpunsch Willkommen 20xx Music "Auld Lang Syne" "Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)" Chorale preludes for New Year's (Bach) Church cantatas for New Year's "Happy New Year" "It's Just Another New Year's Eve" "Levy-Dew" "New Year's Day" "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" "What's Another Year" Related New Year films Gregorian calendar Baby New Year Father Time Feast of the Circumcision of Christ First-foot Calennig Hogmanay Christmas and holiday season Junkanoo Leap second Guy Lombardo New Year's resolution New Year tree Saint Sylvester's Day Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Vasilopita Watchnight service Messages New Year Address by the President of Russia Prime Minister's New Year Message

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [First Night](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Night) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Night?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.