During the day, artists mount outdoor works, such as ice sculptures and participatory installations for New Year's resolutions. A Children's Festival may take place in the afternoon, followed by a participatory procession of giant puppets, colorful banners, artists and musicians in costume who beckon the members of the public to join in. Unexpected places are transformed through an explosion of creative energy. A countdown to midnight and finale fireworks often conclude the communal festivity. At First Night, everyone is a participant.
Audience members decide their individualized schedules from the complete program.
The lines between the observer and the observed are deliberately blurred. A First Night button supports the cost of the celebration and provides general admission to events. Every year on New Year's Eve, you bring together people for a shared cultural experience accessible and affordable to all. At events which you sponsor each year, the people come together and bond with the sturdy thread of hope, values, spirit, and community. These are also the materials of a culture.