Release Date: Tuesday, September 7th 2010
Button toasts holiday tradition
Keepsake will cost $15, provide access to more than First Night events
Published on Sunday, Sep 05, 2010
Beacon Journal staff report
The First Night celebration starts early this year.
First Night Akron, the annual New Year's Eve event downtown, will mark its 15th year as it greets 2011.
To commemorate that milestone, a special First Night button has been created that will get people into not just the New Year's Eve celebration, but also 14 other events from October to April.
Downtown Akron Partnership, the organizer of First Night, introduced the button Saturday at the Artwalk downtown.
The commemorative button costs $15.
It's a way to showcase the arts in Akron while celebrating First Night's 15th year, said Lisa Knapp, communications director for the Downtown Akron Partnership.
The button will be sold at downtown Artwalk events on the first Saturday of each month through December. Starting Tuesday, it also will be available at http://www.firstnightakron.org, and eventually it will be sold at various locations around the area.
In addition to the First Night celebration, the button will allow access to the following events:
• Collage! at E.J. Thomas Hall, 198 Hill St., 7:30 p.m. Oct. 26.
• First Night Button Artists Reception at Summit Artspace, 140 E. Market St., 7 p.m. Nov. 6.
• Hower House Fairy Tale Holiday at Hower House, 60 Fir Hill, 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 14, 21 and 28, and Dec. 5, 12 and 19.
• Warren Miller SkiFest at the Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S. Main St., 6:30 p.m. Nov. 30.
• Jingle Jazz at E.J. Thomas Hall, 3 p.m. Dec. 12.
• Tour of the holiday window displays at the Polsky Building, 225 S. Main St., 7 p.m. Dec. 16.
• Winter Break Teen Night at Lock 3, 200 S. Main St., 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 19.
• Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad ride from the Northside Station, 27 Ridge St., 11:35 a.m. Jan. 15 and 16.
• Festival of Nations at the Akron Civic Theatre, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 17.
• Free admission to the Akron Art Museum, 1 S. High St., Jan. 26-30.
• Dance through the Ages at the Akron-Summit County Public Library auditorium, 60 S. High St., 6:30 p.m. Feb. 9.
• Free admission to the Akron Zoo, 500 Edgewood Ave., Feb. 14-20.
• Behind-the-scenes look at the Actors' Summit Theater, 103 S. High St., March 8.
• Self-guided tour at the Manor House at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, 714 N. Portage Path, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 5-8.
The value of the events exceeds $145, ''so for just $15, that's pretty amazing,'' Knapp said.
Graphic artist Warren Becker designed the button, incorporating parts of the designs from the previous 14 years' buttons as well as the yet-to-be-unveiled First Night 2011 button art.
The regular 2011 First Night button, by artist Maria Alejandra Zanetta, will be unveiled in late October. That button goes on sale Nov. 26 for $10. It will provide access to the New Year's Eve celebration but not to the other 14 events.