First Night / New Year's Eve Chat
Looking for First Night highlights? Need parking or public transportation tips? Scrambling for tickets to that hot party? First Night Boston's Joyce Linehan and Boston.com's Courtney Hollands will answer your burning questions about this Dec. 31.
To submit a question, click the "Watch Now" arrow below. Then, pick a nickname, type in your question, and click send.
| First Night/New Year's Eve Chat | (12/29/2008) Powered by: CoveritLive |
12:29 | Courtney Hollands: Hope everyone had a nice holiday! You might already have New Year's Eve plans, but if not, we've got some ideas for you. Joyce Linehan from First Night will join us at 2 p.m. to take your questions about First Night highlights, parking, details, etc. |
12:29 | Courtney Hollands: I'll also be on the chat to answer any New Year's Eve nightlife questions you might have. Tickets are still available for parties and events around the city, so get cracking. |
12:30 | Courtney Hollands: For starters, here are some of my nightlife picks for NYE 2009: http://www.boston.com/thingstodo/special/firstnight/nyenights |
12:57 | Courtney Hollands: Any recommendations from the peanut gallery? |
1:57 | Courtney Hollands: Joyce should be on shortly -- while we're waiting, I see that KD has a nightlife question... |
1:57 | [Comment From KD] What if I want to do something a little old-school fun for New Year's, like bowling. Are those places closed for private parties or can I get in? |
1:58 | Courtney Hollands: If bowling's what you want, KD, bowling is what you'll get :) You have a few options depending on how much money you want to spend/what type of atmosphere you're looking for. |
1:58 | Courtney Hollands: Here are four options: |
1:59 | Courtney Hollands: 1. Kings is open from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. for New Year's fesitvities. There will be a live band, party favors, and bowling (obviously). The best part? No cover. |
2:00 | Courtney Hollands: http://www.backbaykings.com/ |
2:01 | Courtney Hollands: 2. The Milky Way fete kicks off at 8 p.m. DJs Ghostdad, Lone Wolf, and Knife will be on deck. There will also be a special performance by Afrobrazil, a Brazilian drum corps. Oh, and bowling. $15 |
2:01 | Courtney Hollands: http://www.milkywayjp.com/ |
2:02 | Courtney Hollands: 3. Lucky Strike Lanes has a Rock & Bowl Bash. Cover ranges from $20-$45. $20 will get you dancing and a champagne toast. $30 will get you all of the above plus appetizers, favors, and bowling. And $45 will get you all of the above plus a semi-private area for celebrating the countdown (ed's note: what?). |
2:03 | Courtney Hollands: http://www.bowlluckystrike.com/ |
2:04 | Courtney Hollands: 4. And finally, if you want bowling without the pomp and circumstance, check out Lanes and Games in Cambridge. The action kicks off at 8 pm. Your group pays $40 for four hours of straight bowling. Strike in the new year? |
2:04 | Courtney Hollands: http://www.lanesgames.com/leagues0607/NEWYEAR'SEVE.html |
2:09 | Joyce Linehan: Happy New Year everyone. This is Joyce from First Night. |
2:09 | [Comment From partymary] Also, the weather looks nasty -- will any first night activities/events be canceled? |
2:10 | [Comment From partymary] I heard that first night buttons can be used for discounts in 2009? Which places are offering discounts? |
2:10 | Joyce Linehan: partymary - First Night events are held regardless of the weather, and it's way too early to tell what's going to happen Wednesday anyway! |
2:12 | Joyce Linehan: Most of the discounts are from our cultural partners, like the A.R. T., Opera Boston, Children's Museum, etc., but there are also some restaurants, mostly on the South Boston waterfront, and some parking discounts down there too. See http://www.firstnight.org/FirstNight2009/ButtonDiscounts.aspx for a list. |
2:12 | [Comment From Lisa] DOes the 5:30 procession that starts at Hynes just go around Copley Square, or is it a parade? If so, what is the route? |
2:12 | Joyce Linehan: It goes down Boylston to Charles, and then goes left, and ends at Beacon. It takes about 45 minutes in all. |
2:13 | [Comment From kam] Can you tell us about the ice sculptures this year? |
2:14 | Joyce Linehan: There are four "official" First Night ice sculptures. Don Chapelle is doing "Pipeline" on Boston Common, near Tremont, and he's working right now, today if you want to see. |
2:14 | Joyce Linehan: Steve Rose is doing "Polar Bears" on the Frog Pond. He'll be working tonight. |
2:15 | Joyce Linehan: and Eric and Alfred have two at Copley Sq., - "The Dance" and "The Legend of Tarzan." They're carving indoors right now, and won't be out until the 30th or 31st. |
2:16 | [Comment From Melynda] Are all of the events listed on firstnight.com free admission? If not, which ones are free admission? |
2:17 | Joyce Linehan: All outdoor events are free. All indoor events require a button. But sales of the button help to support the outdoors events too - we're a private non-profit organization! |
2:17 | Joyce Linehan: Also, it's firstnight.org, not firstnight.com. |
2:20 | [Comment From rockness] what are the best bets for music on first night? |
2:20 | Joyce Linehan: What kind? Classical? We have Opera Boston at Emmanuel and Steve Lin at First Church. |
2:21 | Joyce Linehan: Jazz - we have Hiromi's Sonicbloom at Berklee for a live national broadcast on NPR. |
2:21 | Joyce Linehan: Rock - we have Girls, Guns and Glory at the Hynes, Downbeat 5 at the Boston Common and a huge dance party with live DJ's on the steps of the BPL. |
2:21 | [Comment From Chris C.] I'm a single dude. Where can I go that will be really social? |
2:22 | Courtney Hollands: Hi Chris -- NYE is one of those tricky holidays. |
2:23 | Courtney Hollands: You can definitely go out as a single dude and have fun -- but why not bring some friends and hit up the Joshua Tree concert at the Hard Rock? http://www.boston.com/thingstodo/special/firstnight/nyenights?pg=4 |
2:23 | Courtney Hollands: Nothing says party like a u2 cover band, right? |
2:23 | Courtney Hollands: I'm into keeping costs down, so I'd also recommend the party at the Alchemist in JP. No cover: http://www.boston.com/thingstodo/special/firstnight/nyenights?pg=7 |
2:24 | [Comment From RS Fan] Where are the fireworks going off from at midnight? I'm trying to pick the best place to watch from. |
2:25 | Joyce Linehan: They go off over Boston Harbor. A harbormaster told me last week that very few people go to Rowes Wharf, so I'd say that would be a good bet. Long Wharf is good, as is Columbus Park, around the ICA, plus Castle Island in Southie and Piers Park in Eastie. |
2:26 | [Comment From Melynda] Which is better, fireworks at Boston Harbor or Countdown in Boston Commons or Countdown in Copley Square? |
2:27 | Joyce Linehan: They're really different. The 7 pm are on the Common, kind of an intimate setting, where they're going off overhead. Families love that one. The midnights are really spectacular, out over the harbor, and everyone has a good view. The 7 pm are done by the same people who do the 4th of July on the Esplanade, and they know about fireworks! |
2:27 | [Comment From Soxylady] i can't figure out how to buy buttons online?? |
2:28 | Joyce Linehan: Online sales have stopped now, because there's no time to mail buttons. You can buy them at Shaw's, Star, Store 24, Tedeschi's, Au Bon Pan, or at our button booths in town on Wednesday. There's a complete location list at www.firstnight.org. |
2:29 | [Comment From suse] Hi, Are some restaurants affiliated with First Night and, therefore, have deals? |
2:29 | Joyce Linehan: The Boston Harbor Association got their restaurants together to do deals, so many of them have deals. These are all on the South Boston waterfront. There's a list at firstnight.org. |
2:30 | Courtney Hollands: On the subject of dining, our AE team put together a great gallery on NYE dining options/special menus if you're interested, suse: http://www.boston.com/ae/restaurants/gallery/newyearsdiningout08/ |
2:31 | [Comment From LoveBrady] Are all First Night events handicap-accessible? |
2:32 | Joyce Linehan: All but two. The are boat tours from Rowes Wharf that are not, and the Terrace Room in the Park Plaza is not. Other than that, all are, and also, many are done in American Sign Language too. There's info about that at firstnight.org. |
2:33 | [Comment From Stewey] Does Boston have any special parking rules on NYE? |
2:34 | Joyce Linehan: There are many street closures because of the Procession. Street parking is at a minimum. Best to take the T (which is free after 8) or expect to pay to park in a lot. |
2:35 | [Comment From len18] My sister's in town and she has two teens -- which fn events are good for that age group? I don't want them to be bored (my kids are younger). |
2:37 | Joyce Linehan: There are stunts with Maximum Velocity at the FedEx Family Festival, as well as a festival of Japanese Anime that would probably be good. |
2:38 | [Comment From len18] thanks -- i never know what's "too young" for two 16-year-olds! |
2:38 | [Comment From Jose] Go big or stay in? |
2:38 | Courtney Hollands: Obviously, go big ;) |
2:38 | Joyce Linehan: Why would you want to stay in? |
2:39 | Courtney Hollands: Any specific questions, Jose? |
2:40 | [Comment From Martha] What time is there going to be a dance group ice skating in the Common? |
2:41 | Joyce Linehan: The skating rink on the Common is run by a private company, and we can't program it. I think they're usually open for skating on NYE though. |
2:41 | [Comment From Lucky] Hi joyce -- are the anime flicks violent? |
2:42 | Joyce Linehan: They are not. They're suitable for kids. We do have some film programs that may not be suitable for really young ones (I think Roxbury Film Festival has a couple with adult themes) but the doors to those rooms will be clearly marked. |
2:43 | Courtney Hollands: Hi Martha -- looks like the Boston Common Frog Pond is open for skating on NYE from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.: http://www.cityofboston.gov/parks/ttd/frogpond_winter.asp |
2:43 | [Comment From Martha] Thanks, awesome so quick. Do you know a number to call to see if there is going to be an ice shows on NYE, at the skating rink? |
2:44 | Joyce Linehan: I really don't think there is anything other than public skating there, but you can try calling the Parks Dept. at 617-635-4505. |
2:44 | [Comment From KG] Are there any parties going on other than first night and in town Boston? Mainly off of the Orange line? |
2:45 | Courtney Hollands: Hi KG -- do you mean north or south of the city? Malden or JP? |
2:45 | Courtney Hollands: I already mentioned the free Hollywood-themed party at the Alchemist. And the Milky Way has a bowling and live music fete for $15. |
2:45 | [Comment From KG] JP |
2:45 | Courtney Hollands: OK, cool -- so there you go. Let me see if I can find anything else... |
2:47 | [Comment From Lucky] I heard the ICA is free on First Night? |
2:48 | Joyce Linehan: It is free to button holders on Dec. 31, and open until 5 p.m. And if that's not enough, the Gardner and Childen's Museums are free for button holders on Jan. 1! |
2:49 | Courtney Hollands: Hi KG -- We have someone submitting comments to our chat about the festivities at Dogwood Cafe in JP for New Year's Eve: http://www.dogwoodcafe.com/ |
2:50 | Courtney Hollands: Apparently the event kicks off at 8 p.m.and costs $30. Just another idea to keep in mind :) |
2:51 | [Comment From ladyinred] Can you tell me more about the judith black event? is it a play? or a monologue? or? |
2:53 | Joyce Linehan: It's a monologue. She's a storyteller, but this one's for the grownups. |
2:53 | Joyce Linehan: And it seems very geared toward women - maybe for fans of Menopause the Musical! |
2:56 | [Comment From RS Fan] Do you know if the bars in South Boston (Playwright, Beer Garden, etc.) are having NYE parties... or just open as normal? |
2:58 | Courtney Hollands: Good Q, RS Fan. I just did a search and didn't see anything listed for the Stadium, the Playwright, or the Junction. No dice. Most of the big parties are happening downtown. Sorry I can't be more helpful! |
2:59 | Courtney Hollands: Alright, well it's just about 3 p.m. If you have any additional, burning NYE questions for me, shoot me an email at chollands@boston.com. Happy New Year! And thanks to Joyce for stopping by to chat. |
3:00 | Joyce Linehan: Thanks! Happy New Year! |
3:00 |  |
