More than 75 acts will be featured at this year’s First Night Springfield,
the capital city’s 18th annual family-friendly alcohol-free celebration of New
Year’s Eve.
Among the new venues this year is the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, where visitors can enjoy 19th-century period music and an appearance by Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln (or, at least, a reasonable facsimile of the city’s first citizens).
The Lincolns will visit other First Night venues and lead the procession through downtown to the midnight fireworks show at Fourth Street and Capitol Avenue.
A new addition to the First Night lineup: Club 12/31, a dance club for teenagers at 210 Broadway, near Second and Adams streets. Local groups the Banana Hammick Soldiers, Just Another Common Kid, Park, and the 10th Street Band are among those scheduled to perform from 7-11:30 p.m. Admission to Club 12/31 is $5 or free with a First Night button.
For children, First Night offers free entertainment — including hands-on art activities, storytellers, and a circus — at Springfield High School’s commons area from 2-4 p.m.
Food and beverages will be available at the Hoogland Center for the Arts, another venue for First Night shows. Other places to catch performances: the Old State Capitol, Christ Episcopal Church, First Presbyterian Church, First United Methodist Church, and the Lincoln Library. Wheelchair-accessible motorized-trolley service will be provided.
First Night offers an eclectic mix of local and regional entertainment, including music, martial arts, theater, magic, comedy, folk dancing, ballet, and visual arts. It’s “a great way to celebrate the New Year with family and friends,” says Ann Frescura, executive director of the Springfield Area Arts Council. “With the addition of new sites and performances, this event continues to delight people of all ages.”
Admission buttons for the event are on sale at a variety of locations, including
Cub Food stores, Harmon’s in Chatham, the Hilton Springfield, the Renaissance
Hotel, Hometown Pantry stores, Jewel-Osco stores, Schnucks stores, Kent’s IGA
in Peterburg, National City Bank locations, Downtown Springfield Inc., the Village
Market in Rochester, and Warren-Boynton State Bank in New Berlin. They may also
be purchased online at www.springfieldartsco.org and at the Arts Council office, 420 S. Sixth St.
The advance cost is $9 for adults ($12 at the door) and $5 for young people. Family and group rates are available for advance-ticket purchases.
For more information about First Night Springfield, call 217-753-3519.
First Night Springfield starts at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 31. Look
for a complete schedule of events in next week’s Illinois Times.
This article appears in Dec 23-29, 2004.
