A member of the Pioneer Valley Puppet Company and his bear companion high five an attendee of First Night Northampton’s afternoon events last year.
Reminder Publishing file photo
NORTHAMPTON — A marquee celebration of the New Year, First Night Northampton will return for its 41st year on Dec. 31 with a 12-hour day that features the family-friendly festival of the arts and culminates in the traditional ball-raising from the roof of Hotel Northampton.
Starting in 1985, First Night Northampton has grown into a large-scale day of events across the city that is uniquely Northampton, according to organizers.
The public is encouraged to gather with friends, neighbors and visitors at over 20 different downtown venues for an array of entertainment presented by hundreds of talented performers with backgrounds in music, theater, dance, circus arts, comedy, youth showcases and interactive artmaking. A fireworks display will occur at 6:15 p.m. before the home stretch of the New Year’s Eve celebration.
“It’s the lay of the land,” said Steve Sanderson, the arts events producer for Northampton Arts Council, which spearheads this event each year. “There isn’t another place where you can find 20-plus venues that you can have music, dance [and] theater in. Per capita, as far as bands go and organized as one central event, we are the biggest first night celebration that I’m aware of, period. Over 20 venues and over 100 performances; not even Boston can brag to be that big,”
“That is Northampton,” Sanderson continued. “You can walk from one venue, the furthest venue west to the furthest venue east, in 15 minutes, and you’ll pass the other 18 venues when you do that.”
Buttons needed to access the various events can be purchased both online or in person. If purchased before Dec. 30, all day and evening adult buttons will be $16, and $20 the day of. An adult day-only button is $10. Kids buttons will cost $8 for the entire day, while buttons for seniors are $10 and can only be bought in person.
Drawing more than 10,000 attendees annually, First Night generates an estimated $1.2 million in economic activity for local restaurants, retailers and venues. Sanderson said the annual end-of-year celebration is “quirky as hell.” He called Northampton the perfect spot for such a celebration thanks to its status as “the arts hub of Western Massachusetts.”
“Northampton has been the home for music and the arts since the beginning. When I first moved here in the 90s, it was fun, it was freaky, it was weird. There were rock clubs, incredible rock bands,” Sanderson said. “We’re now going through a time where we’re trying to get our rock clubs back. We got the Iron Horse back, the Parlor Room is still kicking. The Arts Trust building is fantastic. We need those other two venues back that have been taken from us. We need another Pearl Street. We need another Calvin [Theater].”
Sanderson explained that what has worked so well about First Night Northampton is how the day is essentially split into two festivals.
Starting at noon, many families and other people will gather within downtown and begin exploring, with the 6:15 p.m. fireworks, launching from the E.J. Gare Parking Garage, serving as a good end point for one crowd and the starting point for a more late-night-friendly crowd. No matter your age though, Sanderson said the exposure of so many local artists offers something for anyone during the end-of-year celebration.
“I love the fact that it’s two events in one. The only common theme throughout is that there isn’t anything that’s going to be more than PG-13, even the stuff at night. The only thing that might be adult-themed is the comedy bus. Everything else, I personally would bring my kid to any one of the events and not worry about it,” said Sanderson.
Sanderson shared that like the city itself, First Night is the type of event where if you threw out a figurative net over the community and reeled it back in, “you’d have one of everything.”
“I’ve always felt like that’s one of the things I love about Northampton. It’s a hub, a center, and it has all kinds of different people and culture and foods and art, and First Night reflects that,” added Sanderson.
While there are plenty of options for children’s entertainment during the day, Sanderson added there is also plenty of tried-and-true singer songwriters performing throughout Northampton during the entire event.
The night culminates at midnight when the public gathers outside Hotel Northampton for the iconic ball raising, hosted by Sanderson.
“First Night Northampton showcases the creativity, resilience and community spirit that define our city,” shared Northampton Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra. “It’s a celebration that brings people together at a time when connection matters most. I’m thrilled to welcome everyone downtown for another unforgettable New Year’s Eve.”
All proceeds go to benefit community arts, something Sanderson said is crucial for the groups yearly grant offerings. While the city receives a yearly allocation of grant funding from the state to support areas within the arts, Sanderson explained Northampton has become a pioneer for municipalities by using a model to start their own grant funding within their own arts council.
The J. Scott Brandon Grant Fund, or the JSB Fund, is a good example of this formula. This grant ensures that all interested students at Northampton High School have an opportunity to receive music lessons and supplies for their instruments throughout their high school careers. People can donate to the fund at any point during the year, but the money raised from First Night Northampton and other events by the council lead directly to the support of opportunities like this and other programming from the council.
Sanderson said he is anticipating another great day of the classically Northampton celebration for the new year.
“I love this city, and I love the people. Everybody pulls together to make First Night perfect and beautiful. From the local volunteers to every single person who runs, manages, owns a building that is involved in First Night. It is a true community event, and it is beautiful,” said Sanderson. “What I really love to see is the happy yet exhausted looks on caregivers faces when they’re dragging three or four kids through the city. They look tired but they look happy, and the kids are yelling and dancing and singing, faces painted. I love it every year.”
For more information on First Night Northampton, including who is performing and how to purchase a button, visit www.firstnightnorthampton.org.
