OCEAN CITY — It started out as a small event twenty years ago. Only 800 people showed up to this seaside town to welcome in 1992 with an alcohol-free party. This New Year’s Eve will find over 10,000 revelers delighting in First Night – an Ocean City institution.
“It’s a non-alcoholic event,” said Michelle Gillian, executive director of First Night. “Its purpose is to bring families and friends together. New Year’s Eve is just not for couples anymore.”
According to Gillian the event was the brainchild of Ocean City publicist Mark Soifer and Carla Heist.
“They started out with six locations,” said Gillian. “We have 17 now.”
Included in those 17 venues is everything from Boardwalk miniature golf to a concert by the Ocean City Pops Orchestra. This year will also feature performances by former Monkee Peter Tork as well as Grammy Award winning folk group Trout Fishing.
Each venue is broken down into a 45-minute performance, with 15 minutes to travel from place to place.
The event begins at 4 p.m. with mini-golf on the Boardwalk and end at midnight with a fireworks extravaganza at 6th and the Boardwalk.
Tickets are $14 per reveler and include access to all the evening’s festivities. Free parking is available as well as jitneys to transport First Nighters from place to place.
“Dress warm,” said Gillian. “We’ve been kind of lucky with the weather, but it’s usually a good idea to bring a hat, gloves and warm coat.”
Information about First Night can be obtained online at www.firstnightoc.com. The website offers the full schedule of events as well as information on obtaining a First Night badge.
Lower Township
VILLAS — The Lower Township Department of Parks and Recreation will be sponsoring a Family New Year’s Eve Party, Sat., Dec. 31, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Lower Township Recreation Center. Children 10 and under must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
There will be music, face painting, indoor inflatable rides, carnival games, food and refreshments, fun for the entire family. For additional information please call 886-7880 ext. 0.
Stone Harbor
STONE HARBOR — The Stone Harbor Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a town-wide New Year’s Day sale to begin 2012.
Participating stores plan to offer post-Christmas savings in the Merchants’ New Year’s Day Sale on Jan. 1.
Sea Isle City
SEA ISLE CITY —From the sands of the Sahara to the sands of Sea Isle, revelers wanting to park their camels and celebrate the coming of the new year a bit earlier than midnight eastern standard time will be able to join in the fun as the city celebrates an Egyptian New Year’s Eve.
Food, fun, pharoses are on the agenda at the city’s Public School, located on the corner of 45th Street and Park Avenue.
The event begins at 5 p.m. and lasts until 7:30 p.m. when partygoers make their way up to the beach at J.F.K. Boulevard and the Promenade for a spectacular fireworks display.
Geared toward children, New Year’s Eve in Egypt will offer children’s activities as well as a countdown to midnight.
Admission to the festivities is one desert per family.
According to Katherine Custer, spokesperson for the city, pre-registration is required.
“All families must be registered by Dec. 26,” Custer told the Herald. Registration is available on the city’s website at seaislecitynj.us.
The alcohol-free and drug-free event is sponsored by the Municipal Alliance Committee and the Sea Isle Department of Recreation.
Town Bank – STOP sending OUR money to countries all over the world and giving it illegal immigrants in various forms as Americans are dying in the Southeast. CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME!
