Ice skaters and opera singers, fireworks and face-painters, magicians and Maori dancers - in all over 100 artists will be on hand for the first First Night celebration ever held in Utah.
First Night is a family-oriented, alcohol-free celebration of the arts being held this New Year's Eve in 106 cities throughout the United States, Canada and Australia."Traditionally in our community New Year's Eve has been a time of separation. Parents go one way, youth go another and kids get a video," observes Phil Erickson, special events director for the Downtown Alliance in Salt Lake City.
"At First Night, we will have an opportunity to do things together."
In Salt Lake City, First Night performances and events will run continuously at eight locations, beginning at 4 p.m. New Year's Eve. Partygoers will stroll between Crossroads Plaza, the ZCMI Center, the Assembly Hall on Temple Square, Steinway Hall at Daynes Music on Main Street, the Salt Lake Art Center, the Capitol Theater lobby, the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and the Gallivan Center in the new park on Second South between State and Main.
There will be performers on the street, too, entertaining the crowds as they hustle to catch a Utah Symphony quartet, then stop at a mask-making station to create a mystery out of sequins and feathers before taking in the Orchestra Pachanga, followed by the Cowdaddies, then the Salt Lake Vocal Ensemble, an ice show, the Faith Temple Choir, a hockey demonstration and more and more and more until the big countdown begins at 11:55 at the Gallivan Center. At midnight, fireworks will fill the sky.
Smaller venues are catching the spirit, too. The Grounds for Coffee owners just announced they'll be sponsoring poetry and short-story readings to be held every hour on the hour at their shop on Main Street.
A $5 button (available at Dan's Foods, Nordstrom and ZCMI Center and Crossroads gift wrap) is the admission ticket to all events. Children under 12 are free.
Though the idea is new to Utah, some cities have been hosting First Night parties for more than 15 years. "Boston has certainly been the model to follow," says Bob Farrington, executive director of the Downtown Alliance. He says Boston's First Night planners were surprised and pleased to hit a responsive chord the first year, when they attracted nearly 50,000 people. Last year more than half a million Bostonians came downtown for New Year's Eve.
"We aren't setting our sights that high. We realize you have to start off fairly slowly. You have to spend some time explaining this notion of a new way to ring in the New Year," says Farrington.
Just last September, the Downtown Alliance decided on a First Night party. As part of their mission of keeping the inner city thriving, the alliance of business owners helps sponsor several summer events - including the Arts Festival and Pioneer Days. They wanted a winter event. After commissioning a study of how other cities celebrate in the snow, the alliance members voted in favor of a First Night festival.
Eventually the plan is to extend the celebration into 10 days of arts and sporting events, beginning with a processional parade on New Year's Eve and ending with the Winter Games. Most of these events will be held in the mountains, but some could be held in the city.
Two of the First Night events Farrington and Erickson are looking forward to this year have to do with resolutions. At one site there will be a sculpture on which revelers will write a resolution. At another site they'll be able to write and burn and warm their hands on all the unfulfilled promises they made last year.
Its founders believe First Night will catch on with Utahns because it is a tribute to the diversity of arts to be found here and because it is a new way for families to come together - to eat and dance and listen to music, to reflect on the past and celebrate the season of new beginnings.
- HERE'S A SCHEDULE of events for the First Night celebration on Dec. 31.
(Activities in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, the Cathedral of the Madeleine and the Assembly Hall on Temple Square will not require a First Night button for admission).
ZCMI Center
3-4 p.m. - Sam Cosby Quartet
4-11:30 p.m. - Face painting, mask making and folk arts demonstrations
5-6 p.m. - Orchestra Pachanga
7-8 p.m. - Faith Temple Choir
9-11:30 p.m. - Crossroads Jazz
Crossroads Plaza
4-5 p.m. - String Fever
4-9 p.m. - Folk arts demonstrations
6-7 p.m. - Tulley Cathey Quartet
8-9 p.m. - McGee & Keen Duo
9:30-11:30 p.m. - Saliva Sisters
Salt Lake Art Center
20 S. West Temple
3-4 p.m. - Big Parade
4-9 p.m. - Weaving demonstration
4-11:30 p.m. - Face painting & mask making
4:30-5:30 p.m. - Alan Michael Band
6-7 p.m. - Cowdaddies
7:30-8:30 p.m. - Aldiviva Quartet
9-11:30 p.m. - Zion Tribe
Steinway Hall
156 S. Main (Daynes Music)
4-5:15 p.m. - Musical Comedy
5:30-6:45 p.m. - Steve Keen Duo
7-8 p.m. - Salt Lake Vocal Ensemble
8-9 p.m. - Craig Fredericks
9-10 p.m. - Musical Soiree
Grounds for Coffee
158 S. Main (upstairs), hourly storytelling and poetry readings, "Last Word at First Night."
4 p.m. - Stefene Russell
5 p.m. - Sandy Anderson
6 p.m. - Jeff Metcalf
7 p.m. - Katharine Coles
8 p.m. - Ken Brewer
9 p.m. - G. Barnes
10 p.m. - Hector Ahumada
Cathedral of the Madeleine
331 E. South Temple
8 p.m. - Concert featuring the Cathedral Choir, both the Boychoir and Girlchoir of the Madeleine Choir School, and the cathedral's Chamber Orchestra.
Joseph Smith Memorial Building
Former Hotel Utah building at 15 E. South Temple
4-5:15 p.m. - Utah Symphony Woodwind Quartet
5:30-6:45 p.m. - Utah Saxophone Quartet
7-9 p.m. - Windenbow
Also, screenings of "Legacy" at 5:15, 6:30, 7:45, 9 and 10:15 p.m. Patrons may pre-order tickets in advance by calling 240-4561. An additional 200 tickets will be reserved for walk-ins during the First Night events.
Gallivan Utah Center Plaza
200 S. between Main and State streets
Noon-3:30 p.m. - Public ice skating
Noon-5 p.m. - Ice sculpture
4-11:30 p.m. - Face painting and mask making
4-4:45 p.m. - Hockey demonstration
5-7 p.m. - Public ice skating
7:15-8 p.m. - Ice show
8-10:30 p.m. - Public ice skating
11-11:55 p.m. - Utah Opera Company
11:55-Midnight - New Year's countdown
Midnight - Fireworks display
Assembly Hall at Temple Square
6-6:20 p.m. - Organ fanfare, March of the 50 Flags, National Anthem and welcome/invocation
6:20-11:58 p.m. - "All Star Musical Gala," featuring Gems by Griffiths, 6:20 p.m.; Swiss Choir, Alpine Long Horn and Yodelers, 6:40 p.m.; organist Robert Cundick, 7:05 p.m.; Encore Brass, 7:30 p.m.; Roll Call of Nations (audience response), 8:25 p.m.; Mark Eubank, 8:30 p.m.; BYU Ballroom Dancers, 9:10 p.m.; Jay Welch Chorale, 9:30 p.m.; Brown Family Pianos, 10 p.m.; Larry Gee performing Viennese Waltzes, 10:25 p.m.; Pueblo Muestro from the High Andes, 10:45 p.m.; Utah Pipe Band, 11:05 p.m., and the Royal Scottish Highland Bagpipers, 11:30 p.m.
Capitol Theatre Arcade
50 W. 200 South
Roving performers and storytelling from 6 to 11 p.m.
Main Street
Between South Temple and 200 South
Roving performers, storytellers and "streetside surprises," from 4 to 11:30 p.m.
Note: First Night buttons, required for admission to most activities and performances (except those noted) are $5 each and are available from Dan's Foods, Nordstrom, ArtTix box offices, including the Capitol Theatre box office, and the gift-wrap counters at ZCMI Center and Crossroads Plaza.
Participants are encouraged to car pool or take UTA into the downtown area. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a flashlight. Absolutely NO alcoholic beverages will be permitted at any First Night locations.