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First Night North: Generations of Family-Friendly New Year’s Eve Fun


Catamount Arts and First Night North 2024 celebrate the 31 st year of Vermont’s favorite and longest running New Year’s Eve performance festival. Featuring about 175 performers in nearly 70 shows in venues throughout St. Johnsbury, First Night North guarantees a full nine hours of fun for the whole family. The eagerly anticipated festivities, presented by Catamount Arts in
partnership with the First Night North committee and countless community supporters, will take place Sunday, December 31st , from 3pm to midnight.

The fun begins an hour earlier than usual with early bird entertainment for all ages, especially those whose bedtime falls well before midnight. Celebrants with enough stamina for the full nine hours of live entertainment will have 70 shows to choose from, including storytellers, dance, magic, vaudeville, comedy, puppetry, juggling, and music, culminating in a community countdown, the raising of the First Night North Ball of Light, and a midnight dance party to welcome the New Year.

Musical acts include a wide range of soloists, duets, choirs, and bands offering nearly every imaginable genre: bluegrass, folk, jazz, Celtic, blues, R&B, contemporary and classic rock, polyphonic, country, Latin, and swing, not to mention riveting performances on harp, organ, didgeridoo, and more.

This year’s First Night North schedule is still in the works, but tried and true favorites will include Fairbanks Planetarium shows, Tritium Well, Marko the Magician and Hypnotist, and the Family Fun Fair. Two dozen new attractions are slated this year, including karaoke, hosted by Open Stage, and performances by Cirque Us and Alyx the Magician.

There will be plenty to eat throughout the festival, both indoors and out, as food trucks, community centers, and venues up and down Main Street prepare a variety of tasty vittles ranging from full dinners to desserts and snacks as well as First Night’s traditional and beloved pancake supper.

Patrons are encouraged as always to sample a variety of entertainment, and shuttle service will include RCT electric buses running continuous 15-minute loops among performance venues. Buses can be flagged down anywhere along the route.

First Night North is very much a community function, relying not only on regional performers, businesses, organizations, and vendors, but on a large and dedicated team of volunteers. Volunteers get free First Night admission in exchange for one two-hour shift.

For more information about First Night North 2024, including the complete schedule of performers and how to purchase admission or become a volunteer, watch the web site at www.firstnightnorth.org, call 802-748-2600, or visit Catamount Arts at their pop-up box office in the Caplan’s Building on Railroad Street.

Please be reminded that Catamount Arts’ Eastern Avenue building will remain closed through First Night, but buttons will be on sale that day at the info booth on Main St. and Eastern Ave., St. Johnsbury School, and Catamount’s pop-up box office in the Caplan’s Building on Railroad St.

Use the links below to navigate the First Night site.