This year’s First Night Bradford went off with a bang, as many
residents and even out-of-towners “Shared the Night, Ignited the
Spirit.”

“Everything went really well,” 2007 First Night Chairperson
Darla Oaks said Monday. “Everybody seemed to be having a good time.
During one of the Doc Swan shows, one of the volunteers that came
up said he was from Buffalo (N.Y.) After the show, I asked him how
he got here, and he said he was camping in the Allegheny National
Forest this weekend and told his wife he wanted to find something
to do. I’m not exactly sure how they found it (First Night
Bradford), but they decided to come, and they absolutely loved
it.

“Usually, we get (out-of-towners) via family connections, but
this guy came out of the blue. They said they’ve been to Buffalo’s
First Night and much preferred Bradford’s. They said Buffalo’s is
much more spread out, and the quality of entertainment is much
better (in Bradford.),” Oaks said.

She said there were participants from all different areas,
adding there were somewhere around 1,500 people or more who
attended First Night this year.

Oaks said the teen bands at the Grace Lutheran Church had about
300 to 400 people stop in throughout the night, about 75 people
sang karaoke and the Greater Bradford Area Senior Activity Center
held at least 100 people at any one time during the night. Oaks
said Mike Miller’s Martial Arts Demonstrations had easily more than
200 people, and Professor Gizmo’s Science in Motion show had more
than 100 people per show.

“Doc Swan had a total of 541 people,” for three shows, Oaks
said. “That was excellent. I know the middle show had (more than)
200 people. Everybody seemed to love Doc Swan. It was a really good
show. He was very funny … one of the favorites.

“For the ice skating, I couldn’t believe the numbers. Holy cow
was he packed!” Oaks went on. “Drew the Dramatic Fool was
well-attended. Kids seemed to really like him. Over at the YMCA,
they said Bwana Jim’s Wildlife Show was just packed. (Balloonist)
Jon Georgino was excellent and very well attended too.”

Oaks said everything worked out really well for the midnight
finale, despite the rain.

“It rained about midnight, and it was sparse out there until
11:30 or a quarter to midnight,” Oaks said. “That’s when people
seemed to come out of everywhere. The ball drop went off like it
should have, and the fireworks went off. We had delays because of
the rain. Mike Bishop couldn’t set up in advance. We were concerned
whether (he) would be able to play at midnight, but he did a
beautiful job. He used plastic bags and coats to cover his
equipment so it wouldn’t get wet. We filled in (the delays) with
Stalker Jay. (He) did a good job with the countdown.”

Oaks said the Bradford Area High School Leo and Key clubs, who
were the first allowed to sell concessions on the streets during
First Night, did well, selling cotton candy, light necklaces and
noise makers, despite having to vie for customers with other
out-of-area vendors.

Oaks said she was really surprised with the turnout at the first
movie, a first for First Night, at 10 a.m.; about 80 people watched
the movie.

“(That) was excellent, considering it was so early in the
morning,” she said.

In addition to the first movie, it was also the first time for
the First Night Hike, which had 10 teams register and a total of 50
participants.

Oaks said Mike Dennis – an advisor for the BAHS SALSA (Students
Advocating Life without Substance Abuse) Club, which helped run the
hike – told her those 50 participants competed to win a family
prize package filled with games and gift certificates for
family-oriented activities.

Dennis added there were other people walking the trail with
First Night buttons who didn’t compete for the package.

“Sandy Anderson there with her two daughters … came out on top,”
of the competition, Oaks said. “One of the prizes in the prize
package was a free birthday party from the YMCA, and the one
daughter had a birthday next week and wanted that party. I’m glad
that they came out on top. They got stuck on one question, and one
of the daughters used a cell phone (to call) her dad.”

Oaks said may of the performers want to come back next year, but
organizers try to change things up each year to prevent casting the
same performances at First Night year after year.

“Doc Swan (from the Philadelphia area) loves Bradford,” Oaks
said. “We try to keep him to every two or three years. Elvis was
full again this year. We bring him back every year (because) nobody
ever gets tired of him. (Rhonda Gray, entertainment coordinator for
First Night,) has already started on planning for next year. She
already has some things booked. We’re financially in good shape.
Next year will be our 10th year so we’ll try to do something
special.”

“It’s always something special,” she added on second thought,
“but more so (next year.)”