FIRST NIGHT WILL BE A BLAST (AGAIN!)

FIRST NIGHT: A NEW YEAR'S EVE COMMUNITY CELEBRATION

First Night poster featuring Max Grover's art First Night is a JCHS sponsored family-oriented, alcohol-free party on New Year's Eve located in and around City Hall in downtown Port Townsend. It's a celebration of community, art and heritage that began in Boston in 1976 as part of America's bi-centennial. Today, hundreds of towns across the U.S. have their own First Night events. This is our second.

Last year's event was a spectacular success, thanks to the efforts of many volunteers and a beautiful clear, calm, cold night. As with last year, the festivities include live music and sing alongs, hands-on art and history activities for kids of all ages, and a "History Hunt."

This year, the new City Hall lobby will be the site for buying First Night and raffle tickets. The Pope Marine Building will hum with square dancing, line dancing, round dancing, and folk dances. Port Townsend High School's "Interact Club" will run children's games in the spooky jail. Key City Public Theatre will have a program especially for kids at the Port Townsend Athletic Club and at the Key City Playhouse you can catch the "Best of PT Shorts." The Boiler Room will feature music and entertainment and the Elevated Ice Cream parlor will provide face painting and live music. The Jefferson Community School will host arts and crafts activities for children.

During the festivities, families will wander from venue to venue from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. when it is midnight in New York. Then we bring in the new year with our own version of the famous New York ball drop—an anchor raising—followed by a volley of fireworks in Memorial Field.