First Night in St Louis 2009

December 22, 10:39 PMOzarks Travel ExaminerPatsy Bell Hobson

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Kaleidoscope theme in St Louis First Night 

First Night - St Louis is a New Year’s celebration of the arts. It is an alcohol-free, public celebration that marks the passage from the old year to the new with art, ritual and festivity.

This year’s kaleidoscope theme promises a Kaleidoscope of activities, colors, lights, musical entertainment and performances in Grand Center. First Night®–Saint Louis invites the public to dance, play, act, create and sing our way into 2009.

A schedule of performances and entertainer in on the web page at
http://www.grandcenter.org/firstnight  
St Louis Festival hours:
Opening Ceremonies | 6:00pm
Performances | 6:00pm to 11:30pm
Early Fireworks | 9:00pm
Countdown to the New Year | begins at 11:30pm
Fireworks | Midnight!

Plan your evening using the Timetable

See performers and locations

View the event map

Getting There

MetroLink is the easiest way to get to First Night.  Exit the Grand Station and hop on the FREE “First Night” shuttle bus located on Scott Street (lower level) that will bring you to the shuttle stop at the northwest corner of Grand and Lindell.

The shuttle bus will begin at 5:45pm and the last shuttle bus will depart Grand Center at 11:45pm.
For a current MetroLink schedule and fares, visit www.metrostl.org

Your First Night®–Saint Louis 2009 admission button is your passport to all the excitement.
Admission and seating for ALL events is on a first-come, first served basis. Some of the indoor performances have limited seating.

Purchase a button
Maps and program schedules are available where Admission Buttons are purchased.
Purchase a button at one of the Borders or Dierberg’s locations in the bi-state area.
For store locations, visit www.borders.com or www.dierbergs.com

Button prices purchased in advance of the event:
Adult              $8.00
Children         $4.00 (Ages 6 to 12)
Children         Ages 5 and younger are FREE!

Button prices purchased at the event:
Adult              $10.00
Children         $5.00 (Ages 6 to 12)
Children         Ages 5 and younger are FREE!

Other Missouri cities celebrating First Night include Springfield and Columbia.

See Springfield Regional Arts Council’s First Night Springfield 2009,"Spotlight First Night" at  http://www.springfieldarts.org/firstnight

Columbia celebrations run throughout downtown Columbia and the Stephens College Campus. Learn more at  http://firstnight.missouri.org/

Founded in 1976 in Boston (1992 in St. Louis), First Night is a community celebration of the New Year expressed through the arts. It is a major visual and performing arts festival created by and for the community to welcome the New Year. First Night’s mission is to broaden and deepen the public’s appreciation of the arts through an innovative, diverse and high quality program which offers the community a shared cultural experience that is accessible and affordable to all. In order to maximize the participation of people of all ages, First Night is a non-alcoholic event.

First Night revives the ancient traditions of marking the passage of time in a present day context. It was invented by a group of civic-minded artists in Boston as a meaningful alternative to traditional New Year's Eve revelry. Offered to the city as a finale to its Bicentennial events in 1976, it was also the beginning of a new tradition that brought the neighboring communities together through a joint celebration.

Why Is It Called First Night?

New Year's Eve is a time for renewal and new beginnings. It is an opportunity for the community to look ahead collectively with hope and optimism and appreciate its common bonds. The name "First Night" symbolizes this forward look, over the technically correct words, "Last Night."

About First Night

First Night recaptures the symbolic significance of the passage from the old year to the new; to unite the community through a shared cultural celebration; to deepen and broaden the public's appreciation of the visual and performing arts.

Cities, large and small, are searching for positive models in response to some of the complex problems of our times. Cultivating a sense of community, bringing together the family, revitalizing the downtown, developing audiences for the arts, decreasing alcohol consumption on New Year's Eve through a public celebration are objectives First Night cities share in common.

First Night International is the umbrella organization which provides vision, inspiration, artistry, direction and technical assistance in fostering the First Night concept both in the United States and abroad.

There are presently 110 First Night Celebrations: 107 in the United States, 2 in Canada and 1 in New Zealand. Find the city celebration closest to you at First Night International, Inc Most cities have First Night hotel packages.