First Night Danbury 2013-2014, enjoying its 24th year as CityCenter downtown’s family friendly New Year’s Eve celebration, salutes the “Young at Heart.” First Night takes place on New Year’s Eve, Tuesday, December 31st, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm in Danbury downtown venues, all within easy walking distance. The highly anticipated event, often shared by three or four generations of family and friends who’ve been attending since 1989 from throughout the Housatonic Valley and beyond, annually provides everyone a chance to close out a year and begin anew, with community enthusiasm and lots of surprises!
Kenny Warren & Leroy Cool
First Night will offer more than 30 entertainments and activities over its youthful and high-spirited 4 hours. A vaudeville at The Palace Danbury traditionally anchors the evening, this year starring ventriloquist Kenny Warren & his “smarty pants” sidekick Leroy Cool. Seen on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” this extraordinary vocal illusionist has been one of the best known opening acts for many of America’s leading headline performers, including Jerry Seinfeld, Rosie O’Donnell, Richard Pryor, Robert Klein and Rodney Dangerfield. Of course, Leroy Cool is no slouch either. He’s always by Kenny’s side.
Kenny will be joined on the stage of Danbury’s 1928 vaudeville house by Connecticut’s newest improv group, A Work in Progress, and the jaw-dropping stunts of LuckyBob. Music, Variety, Children’s Activities, Arts & Crafts, Novelties & Exhibitions are planned for every age group, every interest, and every entertainment. There’s Magic, Giant Puppets, Storytelling, Ice Sculpting, special workshops with the Danbury Whalers hockey team, and much more.
Other artists, activities and participants include: Teen rock band Marmalade Sky, two DJ’s, Dave Wonsey’s Drum Circle, the Easton Banjo Society, the New Hope Mass Choir, and 8-year-old aspiring engineer Leo Luning. A “Run Into the New Year” 5K will race down Main Street on Saturday, December 28th and Food Truck fare will keep First Night revelers merry and warm!
First Night buttons, perfect gifts for family, friends, neighbors, business colleagues and stocking stuffing, cost $10 – the price of a movie ticket! – or $8 (a discount of $2 each) if you purchase 20 or more. They are currently available Monday through Friday 10:00am to 5pm – and on Saturday, December 21st and Saturday, December 28th from noon to 3:00pm – at the CityCenter offices, 187 Main Street. Buttons in bulk (20 or more) can also be purchased through special arrangement outside of regular business hours. Look for buttons on sale at local outlets, including Union Savings Bank locations in Danbury, Bethel, Brookfield and New Fairfield; Savings Bank of Danbury locations in Danbury, Bethel, Brookfield, Newtown, New Fairfield, and New Milford; Patriot Parking Garage, Danbury; Danbury Library; Danbury Museum & Historical Society; Appearances Hair Salon, New Milford; and The Sweet Spot, New Milford. You can also purchase First Night buttons through PayPal by visiting www.citycenterdanbury.com. For information, call (203) 792 1711.
“First Night is a wonderful tradition in Danbury. Every year, I and my husband make big batches of hot apple cider, which is provided by the Danbury Parking Authority, for revelers to share as they gather on Library Plaza to welcome in the New Year. We love the energy of the crowd and wouldn’t miss it for the world!” – Debbie Pacific, Danbury CT
