First Night St. Johnsbury

First Night St. Johnsbury 2013 – the biggest New Year’s Eve celebration in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom and New Hampshire’s North Country – marks its 20th annual festival of the arts. A line-up of entertainment that’s bigger than ever will fill the evening of December 31 from 4 p.m. to after midnight at 18 venues from the south to the north ends of Main Street and from Western to Eastern Avenues. Revelers can enjoy all kinds of fine music to suit every taste and show after show featuring comedy, dance, movies, magic, hypnotism, fire juggling, star gazing, and visual arts. In addition to special family music and puppet shows, children can enjoy stories, games and other activities.

St. Johnsbury is one of about 75 communities in the United States celebrating New Year’s Eve under the forward-looking (though technically inaccurate) hopeful “First Night” trademark. Led by a group of citizens and sponsored by area businesses and organizations to create a diverse community substance-free event, First Night St. Johnsbury has been a spectacular success since its beginning in 1993. Now in its third year with Catamount Arts as its managing partner, First Night is an independent not-for-profit organization overseen by a volunteer board of directors and operated by a large corps of volunteers.