FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2006
CONTACT: Sarah Steidl, Communications Director
330-762-8555 (phone); 330-762-6622 (fax)
ssteidl@downtownakron.com

First Night can fit into your New Year’s Eve plans, whatever they might be. There’s plenty to do at Downtown Akron Partnership’s family-friendly, alcohol-free celebration of the arts, and it’s not an all-or-nothing evening. Parents can create New Year’s Eve memories with the kids at First Night before tucking them in with a sitter, or drop by later in the evening to catch a few of the great entertainers that close out the evening before the fireworks display at midnight.

This year’s entertainment lineup features something to fit everyone’s tastes. Choices include theater performances by Weathervane Playhouse, dance performances and instruction, musical performances from the Akron Symphony, the popular group Yiddishe Cup, Beattles tribute band Hard Day’s Night and much more!

Teens will have a place of their own this year at The Teen Spot, the newly expanded teen venue at the John S. Knight Center’s Goodyear Ballroom. The fun begins at 6 p.m. with InfoCision Management Corporation’s First Night® Idol, the 4th annual high school singing competition.  The first ever Teen Dance follows the competition, complete with professional hip-hop artists demonstrating the latest dance steps.

The National Inventors Hall of Fame will be just the place for “tweens”, ages 10-13. Featuring unique, hands-on and interactive entertainment created just for them, families can challenge each other to trivia games, bowling, and take home a free souvenir photo. Kids will also want to stop by The Shoppes at Akron Centre to challenge friends to a game of  Dance Dance Revolution.

A complete schedule of events is available at www.firstnightakron.org.

As always, First Night is a family-friendly, alcohol-free event. Buttons can be purchased online until Dec. 27 or at any Acme Fresh Market, participating FirstMerit Banks, Stage Left Boutique at Akron Civic Theatre, Akron Beacon Journal Customer Service Desk, The Word Christian Resource Centers (Akron & Parma Hts.), Borders Books & Music-Chapel Hill, and The Library Shop on Main. Buttons are $10, children under 10 are free when accompanied by a button-wearing adult.

For more information, visit 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.