PROVO — Organizers of Provo's annual First Night celebration do not think it can be commercially successful on a Sunday night, but organizers of the Salt Lake First Night event, don't share that view as they prepare to welcome in the New Year.
The concerns in Prove have prompted organizers there to move the family-oriented celebration to Saturday night while their Salt Lake counterparts move forward with their planned Sunday night extravaganza. "We made the decision based on the demographics of the valley. Most people who live here go to church on Sunday and want to be home with their families," said Carol Walker, director of Provo's First Night.
Two of the four Utah cities that sponsor a First Night celebration — Provo and St. George — will hold their parties on Dec. 30. Salt Lake City and Ogden will host their annual First Night celebrations as usual on New Year's Eve.
"As opposed to counting down to Dec. 31, we'll count down to the New Year. I think the bigger question is: Why do it on Saturday?" said Mearle Marsh, Salt Lake City's First Night program director.
Honoring Sunday is a religious day is a tradition observed by many religions, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Utah's predominant denomination.
LDS Church members are encouraged to focus on religious and spiritual family activities on Sunday, which First Night organizers see as a major obstacle to a successful Sunday night celebration. An estimated 85 percent of Utah County residents belong to the LDS Church.
While LDS Church leaders may not endorse traditional New Year's Eve activities like dancing, the church isn't opposed to all First Night activities. The church is sponsoring some First Night events in Salt Lake.
Musicians Peter Breinholt and Michael McClean will perform at the Salt Lake Tabernacle from 9 to 11 p.m. on New Year's Eve and two LDS films, "Legacy" and "The Testaments of One Fold and One Shepherd" will be shown in the North Visitors Center and Joseph Smith Memorial Building, respectively.
Approximately 70,000 people attend Salt Lake City's First Night each year, but the last time New Year's fell on a Sunday, in 1994, only 30,000 people showed up at the event.
Marsh expects about that many this year but is prepared for a larger turnout.
Provo's celebration will include an ice sculpting exhibition, a snow sculpting contest between the county's mayors and a teen street dance. Organizers hope to top last year's attendance of 35,000.
First Night is an international celebration that takes place in about 235 cities. The goal of the non-alcoholic event is to provide a wholesome family environment that focuses on the arts. Salt Lake has participated for eight years while Provo has held the event the past four years.
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