First Night Williamsburg 2013
First Night Williamsburg is a family-oriented, non-alcoholic New Year’s Eve celebration of the performing arts presented throughout the City and on the campus of the College of William & Mary.
2012 marks the 20th anniversary year for the premiere New Year’s Eve Celebration in Williamsburg Virginia. Every year thousands converge here to experience a variety of family entertainment, food and a grand fireworks display at midnight. Main stage performances begin at 6 p.m.
Enjoy the area’s finest professional entertainers including singers, instrumentalists, magicians, storytellers, puppeteers, jugglers, clowns, bands, a Big Band orchestra and more! A variety of music is featured, including classical, shag, children’s, blues, R&B, Broadway, jazz, country, blue grass, folk and patriotic.
Performers this year include: Applause Unlimited, ,Bagels and Fraylox Klezmer Band, Bill Jenkins and the Virginia Mountain Boys, Bobby Blackhat Blues Band, Celtica, Clan McCool, The Hysterically Correct Pirate Show, Code Blue, Ron Fetner, First Baptist Sanctuary Choir, Rich Follett, Bill and Pam Gurley, Hot Soup, The Hunts, Jackie Scott and the Housewreckers, ,Jae Sinnett Trio,Larnell Starkey & The Spiritual Seven, Liz Montgomery and Trio, Luke Hartman, Storyteller, Molasses Creek, Orion, Pittman Juggling and Magic Productions, Plunky and Oneness, Rockin’ in the New Year, Runaway String Band, Schnicklefritz and the Oompahs, Soundworks, The Company Store, The Main Event Band, Three Jolly Coachmen, Thunder Creek, Tim Nolan, Timothy Seaman, Virginia Handbell Consort, Williamsburg Classic Swing Orchestra, Windsome Wood Chamber Players
For more information, visit www.firstnightwilliamsburg.org.
3:00 p.m. SHOWTIME!
Start the fun at 3:00 pm at Matthew Whaley School. Children’s fireworks will conclude the fun!
6:00 p.m. Main stages light up. More than 40 different acts, ALL INDOORS in 24 of historic Williamsburg’s most beautiful buildings. Performances run mainly through 11:45 p.m. There’s something for everyone!
11:30 p.m. THE GRAND FINALE will be at Zable Stadium at The College of William & Mary (Site 30). Stay for the countdown and midnight FIREWORKS extravaganza best viewed from Zable Stadium.
Parking locations can be seen on the map and are located at William & Mary Hall and Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall; the two-level parking deck on North Boundary Street at the corner of Lafayette Street; behind Matthew Whaley School; north of Court Street between S. Henry and Nassau streets; William & Mary Campus Center; and William & Mary’s new parking garage on Ukrops Circle. Additional parking is available in the downtown area.
What are the bus routes and are they free?
Buses are free to anybody with a First Night button. They run every 15 minutes from 6:00 p.m. to 1 a.m. See the map for bus routes and stops.
A variety of food vendors will be selling food, beverages and some desserts. Enjoy the variety placed at most large venues. Go to the Locations page to view which places have food and a description of food they will have.
How much does it cost to get in?
Admission to all performances is included in the purchase of a First Night button. Buttons are $15 per person. Children 5 years of age and under will be admitted free.
Buttons are required to enter any of the performance locations.
Buttons are available before December 31st at various local merchants and you can purchase buttons online. Buttons will also be available on December 31st at several locations.
Is there a way to guarantee a good seat?
Because of limitations on seating capacity, First Night cannot guarantee that you will be able to see any specific performance. Please understand that some acts are so popular that not everyone will be able to gain admittance at a particular time. If a door monitor asks you to come back later, you are receiving this request out of concern for everyone’s enjoyment and safety. Please don’t stay for more than one performance of a given act.
How do I get from location to location?
Many locations are within walking distance of each other. Complimentary First Night buses will travel the entertainment circuit and connect with ample satellite parking. They run every 15 minutes from 6:00 p.m. to 1 a.m. The transportation route is approximately 20-25 minutes round trip. See the map for bus routes and stops.