First Night Family Event

Returning To Danbury For New Year’s Eve

DANBURY — The historic downtown area of Danbury will become the entertainment heart for the Housatonic Valley region when First Night Danbury returns on Monday, December 31, from 4 to 8 pm.

Admission to all events will be by First Night button. Cost is $5 for all ages, and buttons can be purchased in advance from First Night headquarters, within CityCenter at 186 Main Street, and also at a number of local businesses including ArtWorks in Plumtrees Plaza, Danbury; Caraluzzi’s Bethel Food Market, 96 Greenwood Avenue in Danbury; the mayor’s office, 155 Deer Hill Avenue in Danbury; Danbury Library, 170 Main Street; Danbury Senior Center, 10 Elmwood Place; Marcus Dairy, 5 Sugar Hollow Road; the Stony Hill and Main Street in Bethel branches of Newtown Savings Bank; Patriot Parking Garage, 21 Delay Street in Danbury; all branches of Savings Bank of Danbury; and all local branches of Union Savings Bank.

First Night buttons will also be sold at First Night/CityCenter headquarters on New Year’s Eve.

First Night Danbury was established in 1989 for the purpose of producing a safe, non-alcoholic, family and community oriented celebration of the arts for people of all ages on New Year’s Eve. With a brief hiatus for the 2006-07 celebration, First Night has drawn between 2,000 and 7,000 attendees to its venues in past years. Children, families, and people of all ages have enjoyed the festivities of First Night Danbury making it a downtown tradition.

With renewed energy from a group of highly committed community leaders, First Night Danbury 2007-2008 is taking shape to be a most exciting and memorable event. Fireworks will conclude the event at 8 pm, and all attendees are invited to the top level of Bardo Garage, where complimentary refreshments will be offered during the show.

Danbury Music Centre, at 245 Main Street, will host a performance by Capoeira Dancers and a bossa nova group, with performances at 4:30 and 5:45.

Danbury Library, 170 Main Street, will have performances by local band Spontaneous Combustion at 4 and 6:45 pm. There will also be an ongoing magic show by Magic Marty & Friends from 4:45 until 6:30.

The library’s main floor will also host First Night offerings, with a contemporary dance expo by The Bridge from 4 to 4:45, and then performances by Robert Rogers Puppet Co. at 5 and 6:30.

Street performers – mimes and stilt walkers from Adam’s Angels Street Performers – will be ongoing in the library’s courtyard, and there will also be an exposition by the Portuguese Cultural Society, all from 4 until 7:30 pm. A short program at 7:30 will lead to the children’s parade from the library courtyard to Bardo Parking Garage.

The lobby of the Palace Theatre, 165 Main Street, will host a multi-media installation called “Reveal.” Conceived and created by the performance artist and designer Carter Boyajian in collaboration with Trillion Productions and with musical guests Settler’s Run, “Reveal” will offer a journey behind the façade of the old Palace theater through a symphony of light, sound and video productions. Larry Deming, from Danbury Music Centre, will be playing solo violin to accompany the exhibit, and old-time music trio Ernest Hem n’ Haw & The Shotgun Republic will also be performing at the theater.

St James Episcopal Church, just off Main Street at 25 West Street, will play host to New Hope Baptist Choir. The choir will be singing at 4:15, 5:15 and 6:15.

Danbury Ice Arena will have skating from 4 to 8 pm, as well as drop-in kids’ crafts, Famous Joe’s pizza throwing demonstrations at 4 and 6 pm, and readings of The Story of Gold at Sutter’s Mill at 4:45 and 6:45.

Music will also be offered at The Galleria, alternating between Bob Stanhope and The Mad Hatters.

The Ives Manor ballroom, 198 Main Street, will also host entertainment, with a 1940s radio program being produced at 4, 5 and 6 pm.

Additional information including a map of the venues, is available online at FirstNightDanbury.org.