Release Date: Monday, December 8th 2008

First Night® Akron Celebrates Thirteen Years

Akron, Ohio - First Night Akron is turning thirteen! In celebration of this milestone year, First Night will feature a teen venue at the Landmark Building with up and coming local teen rock bands and other special activities for teens.

Performers include Chil, the winner of the Akron-Summit County Public Library's Teens Rock

Akron 2008 Competition, as well as competitors Case Sensitive and last year's winner Silver

Eclipse. There will also be special teen activities at the John S. Knight Center including the 6th

annual First Night Idol where local high school students compete for the coveted title. Also

featured this year for the first time is First Night Rock Band; bring your friends and family and

About First Night Akron

Now in its thirteenth year, First Night Akron is a New Year's Eve celebration unlike any other! This

family-friendly, alcohol-free celebration of the New Year brings the community together to

experience a brief moment in time while creating lasting New Year's Eve memories.

Entertainment and fun featuring music, dance, theater, visual and interactive arts will delight

everyone throughout 18 different venues in downtown Akron! For a complete schedule of events,

visit www.firstnightakron.org.

Admission buttons give you access to all 18 First Night venues and nearly 100 performances and

projects. Buttons are $10 and children under 10 are admitted FREE when accompanied by a

button-wearing adult. Buttons are on sale at Acme Fresh Markets, participating FirstMerit Bank

branches, Akron Beacon Journal Customer Service Desk, Borders Books & Music at Chapel Hill,

Carolyn's Cupboard in Wadsworth, The Library Shop on Main, Lock 3 Park and Stage Left

Boutique at the Akron Civic Theatre. Buttons and First Night Akron souvenirs may also be

purchased online until December 23 at www.firstnightakron.org.

First Night Akron is a program of the Downtown Akron Partnership. Founding partners are the

City of Akron and the Akron Beacon Journal.

Thank you to our generous First Night sponsors! Platinum Site Sponsors: Acme Fresh

Markets, Akron Beacon Journal, Akron Community Foundation, City of Akron, GAR Foundation,

Knight Center of Digital Excellence and John A. McAlonan Fund. Gold Stage Sponsors:

Cummins Bridgeway Power, FirstMerit Foundation, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, John

S. Knight Center, METRO, OMNOVA Solutions Foundation and The Welty Family Foundation.

Silver Project Sponsors: The Mary S. and David C. Corbin Foundation, County of Summit, The

LeBron James Family Foundation, Labels & Letters, National City, Pat Catan's, Roetzel &

Andress LPA, The Sisler McFawn Foundation and Think Media Studios. Bronze Activity

Sponsors: A. Schulman, Inc., Akron Aeros, Apple Growth Partners & Summit Data

Communications, Bridgestone Firestone Trust Fund, Brouse McDowell, LPA, Cohen & Company,

CPAs, ComDoc, County of Summit ADM Board, CVS Caremark, Eliokem, GOJO Industries, Inc.,

Lockheed Martin, Meggitt Aircraft Braking Systems, The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation, R.C.

Musson & Katharine M. Musson Charitable Foundation and Ohio Department of Alcohol & Drug

Addiction Services. Special Friends: The Maynard Family Foundation, Miller's Party Rental

Center and Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition. Official Radio Partner: WKDD.

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