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themp
Citizen
Username: Themp
Post Number: 1311
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 2:37 pm: | 
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1. What the hell is "First Night"?
2. What's so "first" about it?
3. Why does it sound so dull?
4. Why not rename it "New Year's Eve"?
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Dave
Moderator
Username: Dave
Post Number: 4820
Registered: 4-1998
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 2:40 pm: |
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4. Branding! |
thegoodsgt
Citizen
Username: Thegoodsgt
Post Number: 712
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 3:19 pm: |
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In this so-called tolerant community, someone probably took offense to "New Year's Eve."
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Hank Zona
Citizen
Username: Hankzona
Post Number: 1885
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 3:51 pm: |
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First Night is a series of cultural activities held to commemorate the First Night of the year. The original concept was started I think at least 20 years ago in Montclair...its a better name and concept than what is for some Amateur Drinking Night and Drunk A**hole Night I suppose. And yeah, wanting to put together a series of events families can pay one price to attend may seem dull to some. We have attended pretty regularly, before and since having kids, and even in years when the line-up hasnt looked all that promising, its been a fun night. |
LibraryLady(ncjanow)
Supporter
Username: Librarylady
Post Number: 2080
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 4:06 pm: |
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Good Sarge..relax. This is from the firstnight.org website.
First Night, Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization that produces the landmark New Year's Eve celebration and conducts the Neighborhood Network, a community-based outreach and arts education program. Founded in 1976, First Night was started by a group of artists who sought an alternative to traditional New Year's Eve revelry. Since then, the celebration has grown from a small arts event centered on the Boston Common to a major city-wide festival of the arts with related year-round community programming |
LibraryLady(ncjanow)
Supporter
Username: Librarylady
Post Number: 2081
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 4:13 pm: |
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Forgot to add..
The unique concept that originated in Boston over a quarter century ago has served as a model for more than 200 similar celebrations worldwide.
First Night New Year's Eve activities take place from 1pm to midnight on December 31st at over 30 indoor and outdoor venues throughout downtown Boston. With the purchase of a First Night Button admission is gained to venues featuring the best in theatre, dance, music, visual arts and film. Museums, theaters, churches and performance centers open their doors to First Night Button holders
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themp
Citizen
Username: Themp
Post Number: 1315
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 4:24 pm: |
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Did it start in Montclair or Boston?
Why the funny name? Isn't it the last night of the year? Why not "First Morning"? Or hold it on the night of Jan 1st, so it really would be the "first night"?
http://gonyc.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=gonyc&zu=http%3A%2F%2F www.prospectpark.org%2Fevent%2Fmain.cfm%3Ftarget%3Dfirework This event doesn't call itself anything but "New Year's Eve fireworks at Grand army Plaza" and that seems to work fine. Is that the tradition that folks are trying to avoid, the use of the word "eve"? Granted, it's a little esoteric, but it does the trick. This fireworks event is community based, so how is it different than "First Night"? People drink too much on the Fourth of July, so why not call it "Fifth Night" and make it into a dry, community-based fireworks and barbecue event?
Why not just call it "New Year's Eve Family Night" or something less anodyne. I'm not against the concept, just the name. How 'bout "Temperence Night"?
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Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 4950
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 4:55 pm: |
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themp, you remind me of the arguments people had over whether the millenium really started in 2000 or 2001. |
Joan
Citizen
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 4602
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 5:06 pm: |
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Themp:
First Night is heavily family oriented and non-alcoholic. This tends to distinguish it from the more traditional New Year's Eve celebration which is heavily into drinking and more adult in scope. I suppose the founders of this movement could have chosen to call it anything they wished but someone liked the name First Night and it stuck.
For those of us who follow a lunar calendar (see recent thread on solar vs lunar calendar traditions), First Night is the first night of the standard American calendar. For solar calendar followers, it is probably better described as last night but last night sounds kind of final and is a little too reminiscent of Douglas Adams.
If First Night sounds too dull for your taste, don't participate. There are plenty of other ways to celebrate New Year's Eve. Or, better yet, give it a try this year so you will learn for yourself if it really is as dull as you think it is. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 4951
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 5:10 pm: |
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Nothing can be too reminiscent of Douglas Adams! |
themp
Citizen
Username: Themp
Post Number: 1324
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 30, 2004 - 11:38 am: |
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"For those of us who follow a lunar calendar (see recent thread on solar vs lunar calendar traditions)"
I can't find that thread. If you follow a lunar calendar, why celebrate the first night of the Standard American Calendar? Do many folks "follow" a lunar calendar in ordinary matters, or just for religious holidays?
"If First Night sounds too dull for your taste, don't participate." well, I'm considering my options. I really think organizers should consider "New Year's Eve Family Fun Night" instead. It's more descriptive, it's more "fun", and the word "family" is a common stand in for "dry". I'm a family man myself these days, but I still like champagne, oysters, martinis, fish soup, brandy punch, etc on New Years Eve.
"First Night" seems to imply some kind of rebirth is expected. Like you'll never go back to your old ways once you try it, and I'm not confortable with that. |
vor
Citizen
Username: Vor
Post Number: 354
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, December 30, 2004 - 12:25 pm: |
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themp
Just curious. Is this the first you've ever heard of "First Night"? |
nan
Citizen
Username: Nan
Post Number: 1654
Registered: 2-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 30, 2004 - 2:35 pm: |
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It did start in Boston. I have a friend that attended the first one.
I've been to the one here a few times and, to agree with Hank, it is usually more fun than you think it is going to be. The kids have a good time running around and you usually see people you have not seen in a while.
You never know what kind of acts they will come up with. People eating fire and golf balls and sarcastic magicians and 1960's folk singer types and comedians with jokes about laundry that make 6 year olds laugh. I doubt any of them don't have day jobs but that does not mean they don't have talent.
Just make sure you have dinner before going. One year I misunderstood the information and thought they were going to have food for sale (beyond snacks) and showed up with two hungry families. But, then we sent the husbands over to Reservoir and they came back with a feast that we consumed in the Middle School cafeteria. You might want to plan on that and bring a picnic. |
themp
Citizen
Username: Themp
Post Number: 1328
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 30, 2004 - 3:05 pm: |
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I've always been puzzled by First Night, ever since I first heard of it.
I just don't like the name. It looks like a good program.
"The First Night Mission is to broaden and deepen the public’s appreciation for the visual and performing arts through an innovative, diverse and high quality program on New Year’s Eve that offers the community a shared cultural experience in the center of the city that is accessible and affordable; to assist other communities in constructing similar celebrations."
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nan
Citizen
Username: Nan
Post Number: 1656
Registered: 2-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 30, 2004 - 4:01 pm: |
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Sounds a little high falutin' for what it actually is, but if you have some kids under the age of 10 (maybe even older) and/or some time to kill on New Years Eve I highly recommend it. |
Barbara
Citizen
Username: Blh
Post Number: 402
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 30, 2004 - 6:44 pm: |
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We had so much fun attending first night in the early 80's in Boston -- music everywhere. I loved first night here when you could wander from place to place to hear music -- it lost something (in my estimation) when it moved all to one site. (I know that the consolidation was in response to fewer human and financial resources -- but it really was much more fun hearing the harpist in the gallery and then going down the street to hear Irish music elsewhere and a street magician on the corner...) |
cmontyburns
Citizen
Username: Cmontyburns
Post Number: 600
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, December 30, 2004 - 7:47 pm: |
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New Year's Eve is supposed to be about getting drunk and throwing up on strangers, but I'm not even sure the younger generation knows that today. I hate how uncommercialized it has become lately.
Please, folks, lets not forget the reason for the season. |
Joe R.
Citizen
Username: Ragnatela
Post Number: 141
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Friday, January 7, 2005 - 2:14 pm: |
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Isn't it really the "last night"? |
algebra2
Supporter
Username: Algebra2
Post Number: 2811
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 7, 2005 - 2:20 pm: |
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I remember the first First Night in Boston, I think. I must have been very young, my cousins had a house on Beacon Hill and we went out to the Common in our PJs and I remember chinese dragons? |
Phenixrising
Citizen
Username: Phenixrising
Post Number: 280
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Friday, January 7, 2005 - 3:16 pm: |
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I remember the first First Night in Boston, I think. I must have been very young, my cousins had a house on Beacon Hill and we went out to the Common in our PJs and I remember chinese dragons?
Wow… Beacon Hill?
Your cousins must be loaded  |
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