Buttons Now Available for First Night

By Amber Lester Kennedy Thursday, December 22, 2011

Williamsburg will welcome 2012 with its annual family-friendly event, First Night, on Dec. 31. The line-up includes folk singers, jazz bands, Celtic singers, clowns, magicians and more.

Forty-one acts will perform at the event, which begins at 3 p.m. and continues until fireworks ring in the new year at midnight at Zable Stadium. Shows are staged at locations within walking distance of each other, including venues on the campus of The College of William and Mary and in Colonial Williamsburg. See the full line-up here.

Notable acts include Betsy Q, who presents a puppet show for children; Bill Jenkins and the Virginia Mountain Boys, who perform southern folk songs; the Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads; Pittman Juggling and Magic Production; the Jae Sinnett Trio; and Poisoned Dwarf. Beloved performer Chief Red Hawk, a Cherokee storyteller, was scheduled to perform, but died on Nov. 25.

Buttons, which serve as admission passes for the evening, are now available for sale at several locations around Williamsburg and James City County. Buttons are available for $15 per person (children under five are free) online here and at the following locations:

• Amory Music, 4436 John Tyler Highway

• Baskin-Robbins, 416 Prince George Street

• Chesapeake Payment Systems, 1229 Lafayette Street

• Ford’s Colony Community Services, 100 Manchester Drive

• Kings Treasure, 424 Duke of Gloucester Street

• Merle Norman Cosmetics & Gifts, 4680 Monticello Avenue, #18G

• Wild Birds Unlimited, 4640 Monticello Avenue, #11B

• The Mole Hole, 4900 Court House Street

• Old Towne Pharmacy, 4854 Longhill Road

• The Virginia Gazette, 216 Ironbound Road

• Williamsburg Drug Company, 240 McLaws Circle

• Williamsburg General Store, 1656 Richmond Road

Tickets will be available on Dec. 31 at the following locations:

• CW Visitors Center: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Kimball Theatre: 1 to 5 p.m.

• WM Campus Center: 3 to 9 p.m.

• WM Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall: 1 to 9 p.m.

• WM Sadler Center: 1 to 9 p.m.

Find more information about parking, food and drinks and more here.

Comments  

 

0 #6 Bob 2011-12-23 11:28

Thanks, maybe we will see you there. My wife and I live out of state but, weather permitting, are planning on being there.

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+2 #5 toodles 2011-12-23 09:22

I was a little mean I took Bob's comment the wrong way. It's amazing what clarity a good night's sleep will give you. The important thing is to enjoy the party whatever it's called. See you all at First Night!

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+1 #4 Anonymous 2011-12-23 08:13

Toodles, just because there are a LOT of cities and groups making the same branding mistake as Williamsburg - calling a party on New Year's Eve "First Night" - doesn't make that observation wrong. It just means more people are wrong.

From the first paragraph of very Wikipedia article you quote:

"Since it happens on New Year's Eve, First Night celebrations are actually held on the last night of the old year. The real first night occurs on New Year's Day."

I can totally understand the movement to promote alternative, family-friendly celebrations for New Year's Eve. But, calling someone "misinformed and ignorant" when they're right doesn't do much to help promote the event, your opinion, or more importantly, encourage others to attend First Night.

Maybe next time, try "You're right, but the name's part of the deal to help participate and get national support and funding for the event" instead of pointing out, incorrectly, that someone might be wrong abut reading a calendar.

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0 #3 Bob 2011-12-22 18:11

Toodles did you even read your own post from wikipedia? It states that the real first night occurs on New Years day. And thanks for showing so much "class" by calling me ignorant.

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-2 #2 Toodles 2011-12-22 13:39

@Bob- Please check out the history of First Night Celebrations here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Night

and here:

http://firstnightusa.org/about_usa.php

You comments are misinformed and ignorant....

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-5 #1 Bob 2011-12-22 09:07

Too bad Williamsburg gets caught up in the marketing MISTAKE of calling "New Years Eve" "First Night". It's not the first night of the new year, it's the last night of of the present year. Bad, bad marketing. Just call it what it is, a big "New Years Eve Party".

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