With a few new firsts as well as the traditional firsts, First
Night this year promises more – more activities, more children’s
programs and more adult programs.
“We’ve really got in a lot more performers from larger areas,
such as Philadelphia and Rochester (N.Y.),” Darla Oaks,
entertainment chairperson for the First Night committee, said.
“Which is really nice because you get the quality.”
The local New Year’s Eve celebration allows area residents to
participate in the national annual First Night program, which aims
to provide a drug and alcohol-free, family-geared New Year’s Eve
celebration of the arts.
Oaks said they always try to gear First Night towards family and
kids, and she said one new event this year will be Jason’s Frog
Show, featuring live frogs “the size of dinner plates.” The show
will also feature frog jumping contests.
“We also geared some entertainment towards adults,” Oaks said.
“We have comedians like Joey Vincent, who does like a Blues
Brothers comedy act, and the other one is Sara Felder. We’ve never
really been able to bring comedians in before because it is an
alcohol-free event, and they would have to clean up their act for
the night. But this year, we were able to find these two
comedians.”
Oaks said this is also the first year that a teenager, Andy
Preston, was in charge of setting up the teen bands for the
night.
“It’s a venue by teens for teens,” Oaks said. “We always oversee
it to make sure it’s okay, but this year, we gave it to him and he
just took charge of it. It’s going to be really good for them.”
Oaks said those planning to attend can also expect the
traditional First Night firsts as well.
“I don’t know if anything is really that much different,” Oaks
said. “We found a formula that works, and we’re just going to try
to stick with it.”
As in past years, they’re going to be dropping a replica of the
gazebo in Veterans Square. Oaks said they try to decorate it a bit
differently each year. She said they’ve used the gazebo replica for
the past three years.
Oaks said they used to have a different ball drop every year
until the owners of the company that sponsored the ball drop
starting going out of town every year. So that’s when they decided
to make the replica of the gazebo to pull out of storage and drop
each year.
The theme for this year’s First Night is “Families, Friends,
Community Spirit.” Oaks said they came up with the theme by
throwing together a bunch of different ideas.
“In about July or August of each year … we start really getting
serious,” Oaks said about First Night committee meetings.
Oaks said they throw out ideas for a theme at the meeting, and
then they compile everybody’s ideas to come up with two or three.
From there, they find something that most committee members
like.
“We added community spirit to the theme this year because it’s
such a big part of this,” Oaks said. “It’s a huge community planned
event.”
Oaks said they have to cooperate with churches and sponsors. The
senior center puts buttons on cards and delivers cards to
Smethport. She said they also get help from the Kiwanis Club at the
Bradford Family YMCA. She mentioned the Open Arms Community Church
helps at the Chamber of Commerce, and all the churches involved get
volunteers to staff the church all night.
“They’re always ready, always willing,” Oaks said.
Oaks said that most of the venues have their own concessions.
She said concessions are done by groups other than First Night,
such as Boy Scout Troops and Student Council as well as many
others. She mentioned there will also be concessions at the YMCA,
First Free Methodist Church, Hill Memorial United Methodist Church,
the Corydon Township Social Hall and the First United Methodist
Church. She said at about 11 p.m. to 12 a.m. in the gazebo on
Veterans Square, Open Arms Community Church will have free coffee
and possibly free hot chocolate, provided by the Crosby
Mini-Mart.
As far as the weather goes, Oaks said it’s supposed to be about
45 degrees with no rain or snow in the forecast for what hopes to
be a decent day.
“Last year it was unbelievable,” Oaks said. “It was 65 degrees
at midnight. I don’t think we can expect two years of that.”
“This will be our last year with Chuck Brooks,” Oaks pointed out
since Brooks, who could not be reached for comment Wednesday night,
accepted another job in Michigan and will be moving. “We’re really
going to miss him. He’s been here since the conception of First
Night. A few years ago – I think it was 2003 – we didn’t have First
Night because we didn’t have volunteers or money, and it was just a
mess basically. Chuck stood behind it, and he got it back. That’s
why it’s here now. But we still do have a very strong committee,
and it will be back next year.”
The following schedule and venues have been announced for First
Night Bradford 2006 Saturday.
Festivities will get under way at 1 p.m. with the First Night
Firsts -ðFirst Bowl at Byllye Lanes on Seaward Avenue, First Skate
at Callahan Park ice rink and First Swim at the Bradford Family
YMCA on Boylston Street.
Also at 1 p.m., Jason’s Frog Show, featuring live frogs “the
size of dinner plates,” will go on downstairs at the YMCA.
Those interested in seeing Jason’s Frog Show can also catch it
from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. and again from 8:30 to 9:15 p.m. on the
first floor of the YMCA.
Just Clowning Around will take the stage at the YMCA at 2 p.m.,
following the first round of Jason’s Frogs. Families can also watch
Just Clowning Around from 7:30 to 8:15 p.m. and again from 9:30 to
10:15 p.m. at the YMCA.
Upstairs in the YMCA, the children’s blow-up carnival will be
going on from 3 to 10:30 p.m.
The John Kytic Quintet will perform from 4 to 7 p.m. at the
Greater Bradford Area Senior Activity Center on Campus Drive.
Musical entertainment will continue with the Celtic band
“Fieldstone,” which will take the stage at the Church of Ascension
on Chautauqua Place from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m., 8:30 to 9:15 p.m. and
10:30 to 11:15 p.m.
“Tunescape” will also perform at the Church of the Ascension
from 7:30 to 8:15 p.m. and again from 9:30 to 10:15 p.m. From 6:30
to 7:15 p.m., Tunescape can be heard at Emery Towers at the head of
Main Street.
The Hawks Creek wildlife preservation center will be up and
running from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m., 8:30 to 9:15 p.m. and 10:30 to
11:15 p.m., all at the Corydon Township fire (bingo) hall on Main
Street.
The Tom Gustwicki Trio can be seen from 7:30 to 8:15 p.m. and
again from 9:30 to 10:15 p.m. at Emery Towers. Also at Emery
Towers, patrons can hear Alyssa Shembeda from 8:30 to 9:15 p.m.
Local vocalist Barb Pedersen will perform from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m.
and again from 8:30 to 9:15 p.m. at the First Baptist Church on
Congress Street. Also at the First Baptist Church, ventriloquist
David Carr will do his act from 7:30 to 8:15 p.m. and 9:30 to 10:15
p.m.
Those looking to get “All Shook Up” can catch the King, Elvis
impersonator Art Hibbard, from 7:30 to 8:15 p.m. and again from
9:30 to 10:15 p.m. at the First Free Methodist Church on Boylston
Street. From 8:30 to 9:15 p.m. and again from 10:30 to 11:15 p.m.,
comic conjurer David Rojahn will entertain, also at the First Free
Methodist Church.
Comedian Sara Felder will take the stage from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m.
and 8:30 to 9:15 p.m. at the First United Methodist Sanctuary on
Chambers Street. At the same location, the Scanlan Irish Dancers
will cut a rug from 7:30 to 8:15 p.m., and the Mountain Laurel
Harmonizers will sing from 9:30 to 10:15 p.m.
DJ Mick McMillan will be on hand with Karaoke from 6:30 to 7:15
p.m., 8:30 to 9:15 p.m. and 10:30 to 11:15 p.m. at the Grace
Lutheran Family Center on Mechanic Street. Also at the Grace
Lutheran Family Center, Christa Scheler will perform her country
music show from 7:30 to 8:15 p.m. and again from 9:30 to 10:15
p.m.
In the Grace Lutheran Church gymnasium, also on Mechanic Street,
the third annual Ye Olde Rock Show will hit the scene from 6:30 to
11:15 p.m. with local teen bands like “Race the Sun,” “I Sing the
Body Electric,” “An Awkward Silence,” and others.
And at the Hill Memorial Church auditorium on Kennedy Street,
vocalist Rhonda Gray will perform from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. and again
from 8:30 to 9:15 p.m. The Joey Vincent Comedy routine can be seen
from 7:30 to 8:15 p.m. and again from 9:30 to 10:15 p.m. at Hill
Memorial.
Those planning to attend First Night Bradford 2006 should
remember free popcorn at the Main Street Moviehouse comes with the
purchase of a button (a First Night “ticket”). Also, the First
Night Bradford fine arts show and children’s art show will be a the
Church of the Ascension fellowship hall.
To complete the night, don’t miss the “Light Up the Sky”
midnight finale with fireworks and a ball drop at midnight on
Veterans Square. The finale will be broadcast live by WESB/WBRR
Radio and will also include musical performers.
Children 5-years-old and younger get in for free, and
refreshments will be served at various locations. All children must
be accompanied by an adult.
First Night Headquarters is located at the Chamber of Commerce
office on South Avenue.
