Photo © Stan Grossfeld, Boston Globe

First Night

Description

First Night has become a world-famous New Year’s Eve celebration. Envisioned by artist and visionary Clara Wainwright, the event was created to give artists and musicians from the Boston area the opportunity to play at venues across the city in family-friendly and alcohol-free environments. The event proved so popular that by 2000 over 260 cities had adopted it although in recent years with Covid, the number has varied considerably.

Established, Dec 31, 1976

Related Sites

Man from City Hall

Map View

Boston Common

Boston Common, 139 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02111, USA

Nearby

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98 feet

Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument

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Boston Massacre & Crispus Attucks Monument

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Timeline

1634

1877

1888

1897

1949

current

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current Images

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30,000 people came to celebrate the first First Night

Bob Holloway entertained First Night fans with some jazz on his saxophone

Susan Espinola, 12, of Winthrop got her face painted at an art booth set up by the Massachusetts College of Art on Boston Common

The environmental art in the total First Night scene involved a number of innovative pieces including a "Sky Drawing" exhibit.

The only real disappointment of the night was the 200-foot red and white balloon scheduled to be lofted at 9:30 near the stage on the Boston Common baseball field. It never got off the ground. Gusting winds up to 30 miles per hour kept collapsing the balloon, and workers, buffeted by winds and cold, gave up the battle shortly before 10 p.m.

1976 - After a successful launch, the following year featured a series of 'preludes' including some artist installations.

ASSOCIATED SITES

5 Results,Show less

Public Art

4 Results,Show less

1877 - Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument

Boston Art Commission,Martin Milmore

Boston, Massachusetts, Beacon Street Charles Street

Sculpture

1888 - Boston Massacre & Crispus Attucks Monument

Robert Adolf Kraus,Boston Art Commission,City of Boston

Boston, Massachusetts, Temont Street Avery Street

Sculpture

1897 - Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Regiment

Boston Art Commission,Augustus Saint-Gaudens

Boston, Massachusetts, Beacon Street Park Street

Relief, Civil Rights

1949 - Commodore John Barry Memorial

Boston Art Commission,John Francis Paramino

Boston, Massachusetts, Tremont Street Temple Street

Relief

Landscape

1 Result,Show less

1634 - Boston Common

Augustus Saint-Gaudens

Boston, Massachusetts, Tremont Street Park Street

Park

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