First Night

{{Short description|Artistic and cultural celebration on New Year's Eve}}

{{About|New Year's Eve celebrations|}}

Image:first night ice sculpture.jpg at First Night Boston]]

First Night is a North American artistic and cultural celebration on New Year's Eve, taking place from afternoon until midnight. Some cities have all their events during the celebration outside, but some cities have events that are hosted indoors by organizations in the city, especially clustered in the local historic downtown which are easily walkable to each other, such as churches and theaters. The celebration is family-friendly and alcohol-free, serving as an alternative to conventional adult New Year's parties that are abundant with alcohol. Since it happens on New Year's Eve, First Night celebrations are actually held on the last night of the old year. First Night celebrates a community's local culture, often featuring music, dance, comedy, art, fireworks and, in some cities, ice sculptures and parades.

== Boston ==

First conceived by Clara Wainwright{{cite web|url=http://magazine.art21.org/2014/05/29/a-quiet-kind-of-act/#.WM8F0xLyvSI|title=A Quiet Kind of Act |work=Art21 Magazine|access-date=31 May 2018}} for the December 31, 1975 celebration in Boston, First Night organized a small group of artists and musicians seeking to perform on stages, both indoor and outdoor. The event also sought to avoid the emphasis on alcohol typical of New Year's Eve parties.{{cite news |url=http://www.worcestermag.com/home/top-stories/Has-the-Ball-Dropped-on-First-Night-Worcester-136014598.html?m=y&smobile=y |work=Worcester Magazine |title=Has the Ball Dropped on First Night Worcester? |date=December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210041516/http://www.worcestermag.com/home/top-stories/Has-the-Ball-Dropped-on-First-Night-Worcester-136014598.html?m=y&smobile=y |archive-date=2013-02-10 }} Soon other surrounding communities started their own First Night celebrations. By the 1990s, the First Night Boston event was attracting works by over a thousand artists.Nordheimer, Jon (1990-12-26). [https://www.nytimes.com/1990/12/26/garden/a-new-year-s-fete-of-art-not-alcohol.html A New Year's Fete Of Art, Not Alcohol]. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2009-04-06. In 2006, more than a million visitors attended First Night events, including free outdoor ice sculptures on Boston Common and in Copley Square, and waterfront fireworks.Ford, Rosemary (2006-12-28). [http://www.eagletribune.com/pulife/local_story_362094555 Carving out First Night Boston; Local ice sculptor lends frozen art to annual celebration] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130122190820/http://www.eagletribune.com/pulife/local_story_362094555 |date=2013-01-22 }}. The Eagle Tribune. Retrieved on 2009-04-06.

Until 2015, live coverage of the final part of Boston's First Night, including the countdown to midnight and fireworks over Boston Harbor that begin at the stroke of midnight, was broadcast by WBZ-TV. CBS, the station's parent company, was an official sponsor.

In 2013, the non-profit First Night Boston organization closed for financial reasons, though Mayor Menino of Boston (in office for only another year) pledged to find private or public funding the January 2014 celebration.{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/06/20/first-night-creator-city-longtime-new-year-eve-celebration-cease-operations/XxXDvkP8l16znqkwJ6NRyI/story.html|title=First Night, creator of the city's longtime New Year's Eve celebration, to cease operations | work= The Boston Globe|date=June 21, 2013|access-date=31 May 2018}} On November 11, 2013, Mayor Menino announced he had acquired the necessary funding and that the 2013 First Night would be “a bigger, brighter display than ever before.”{{cite news| url=http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2013/11/07/mayor-menino-announces-first-night-plans-festival-had-appeared-jeopardy/YKhDEaFqYWSiefMcPbkqbL/story.html |title= Mayor Menino announces First Night plans after festival had appeared to be in jeopardy| work=The Boston Globe |date= November 7, 2013|access-date=31 May 2018}}

The city of Boston took over the First Night festivities in 2015 and hired an event planning firm to manage the smaller and scaled back event.{{cite news |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2017/12/17/first-night-midnight-fireworks-show-back/Vit2kRXGWTLraCuEYAZxzK/story.html |title=Fireworks are returning to First Night festival |work=The Boston Globe |author=Filipov, David |date=November 7, 2013|access-date=31 May 2018 }}

In 2016, television coverage of the festivities was transferred to NBCUniversal-owned properties including NECN, Telemundo owned station WNEU and newly acquired NBC owned station WBTS-LD; the latter used the event to help launch the station's NBC affiliation, which took effect on January 1, 2017.

There was no celebration in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.