What is First Night?
First Night is a community celebration of the New Year through the
arts. It is an alcohol-free public festival that marks the passage
from the old year to the new with art, ritual, and festivity. All
First Night celebrations are licensed by
First Night International and
adhere to a set of standards.
First Night
celebrations offer a wide variety of artists with a broad range of
appeal. They are held in both indoor and outdoor venues in close
proximity to each other. Affordable admissions
buttons provide entry to all First Night performances.
History of
First Night
First Night revives the ancient traditions of marking the passage of
time in a present day context. It was created by a group of
civic-minded artists in Boston as a meaningful alternative to
traditional New Year's Eve revelry. Offered to the city as a finale
to its Bicentennial events in 1976, First Night Boston also began a
new tradition, bringing neighboring communities together through a
joint celebration.
Each year
thereafter, other communities began to ask the founding members of
First Night Boston for assistance starting their own similar
celebration on New Year’s Eve. In time the International Alliance of
First Nights was born and in 1993 First Night International became a
stand-alone non-profit entity. First Night International authorizes
and monitors the use of the First Night name, promoting community,
creativity and cultural diversity through all of its activities and
services.
