A sunny New Year’s Eve Day brought out many families and people to downtown Northampton for celebration.
Reminder Publishing photo by Trent Levakis
NORTHAMPTON — New Year’s Eve in Northampton was the place to be for people of all ages as for the 40th time First Night Northampton, the city’s annual celebration of the new year, filled the city’s downtown with live music, vendors and performances, all culminating in its traditional ball-raising from the roof of Hotel Northampton.
During the day, families filled the streets of Northampton participating and attending various events or performances all in the lead up to the 6 p.m. fireworks show. The night was filled with more live music and people out and about celebrating the new year.
“Our ball goes up, our ball doesn’t go down,” Northampton Arts Council Event Producer Steve Sanderson told Reminder Publishing leading up to the New Year’s event. “It feels like hope to me, it really does. Some people say it’s just Northampton wanting to be different. First of all, what’s wrong with that? And number two, I see it as a sign of hope. We’re going up to bring in the new year, not down.”
Top row, from left: One of the day’s biggest shows came inside the Academy of Music as SHOW Circus Studio performed for back-to-back shows in front of a packed audience. One of the day’s biggest shows came inside the Academy of Music as SHOW Circus Studio performed for back-to-back shows in front of a packed audience. A member of the Pioneer Valley Puppet Company and his bear companion high five an attendee of First Night Northampton’s afternoon events. Bottom row, from left: During the afternoon the Unitarian Society hosted Henry the Juggler who was on his A game in front of the packed crowd. Edwards Church hosted Ed Popielarczyk and his Comedy Magic show which made for many great interactions with Ed and his volunteers.
Reminder Publishing photos by Trent Levakis
