First Night organizers working at full speed
Hub performers rev up for variety of celebrations
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When Mayor Thomas M. Menino visited a supermarket yesterday to buy his First Night button, a festival organizer shook his hand and asked how he was doing.
"No, how are you doing?" the mayor responded.
The answer in Boston is just fine, according to executive director Geri Guardino, despite a distressing economic climate that has forced the City of Fall River to cancel its First Night activities.
Guardino said Boston's First Night programming will not be cut back this year, even with an estimated 20 percent drop in individual donations. Greater corporate donations, particularly from
Individual donations account for about 15 percent of the total budget, Guardino said.
If there is a silver lining to the economic storm clouds, Linehan said, the sour economy may stimulate attendance as cash-strapped families search for affordable ways to greet 2009.
"I'm hoping it'll be a little better, maybe because people won't travel" far during the holidays, Linehan said.
First Night supplements its revenue by producing other Boston events throughout the year, such as the Elma Lewis Playhouse in the Park and the Back-to-School Jamboree. In addition, budget planning began immediately after last year's First Night celebration, Linehan said, which helped mitigate the effects of the ongoing economic crisis.
The overall First Night budget will remain roughly the same as last year's $1.29 million figure, according to organizers.
Last New Year's Eve, more than 1 million people are estimated to have sampled the art and entertainment at dozens of downtown Boston locations. This year, more than 1,000 artists will contribute to exhibitions and performances at more than 40 indoor and outdoor sites.
"We're not growing, but we're maintaining," Guardino said.
All outdoor events are free, but First Night buttons, which cost $18, help support those offerings and are required for admission to indoor activities. A list of locations where the buttons are sold is at www.firstnight.org.
First Night began in Boston in 1976 and has expanded to more than 200 similar events around the globe. New Year's Eve celebrations are also planned in several other Massachusetts communities, including Worcester, Quincy, Beverly, New Bedford, Chatham, and Northampton.
Fall River decided to cancel its First Night because of budget constraints and cuts in community development block grants. In response, some local politicians and businessmen have been considering unofficial alternatives to continue what had become a popular, alcohol-free alternative for Fall River families.
In Boston, Menino said such gatherings assume even more importance in tough times.
"It'll keep people's spirits up," Menino said moments before he bought a button at Shaw's in the Prudential Center. "You can't just sit there and say the world is falling apart."
