26 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 26, 2024-JANUARY 1, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com YOUR NEW YEAR STARTS HERE IN HISTORIC DOWNTOWN MONTEREY! YOUR FIRST NIGHT MAKE THE MOST OF IT! PLAN AHEAD! Make the most of your First Night Monterey experience- plan your evening using this program guide. Seating in each venue is first come first seated. An alphabetical listing of performers starts on page 6 and a grid of performers, times and locations is on pages 4 and 5. Search the listing by artist or the grid by time or by location. Give yourself time to get from one venue to another! Remember, some sites may have lines. GETTING TO FIRST NIGHT First Night Monterey buses are FREE thanks to the generosity of MST! • Park your car at the Del Monte Shopping Center near Macy’s Home Furniture store. • FREE buses will pick you up at the bus stop in frontof Macy’s every 15 minutes beginning at 3:15pm and take you downtown to the Bus Transit Center, Alvarado at Pearl. • Catch the bus back to the Del Monte Center at the Transit Center until last bus at 12:28 am. SAFETY FIRST Please leave your large purses, backpacks, and bags at home. First Night is staffed with MPD officers stationed throughout the event. RESTROOMS Most indoor sites have public restrooms. Public restrooms are open until 10pm in the City Parking lots. Portable facilities will be available by Wells Fargo Bank on Franklin Street at Alvarado Street. Check our map! SERVICES FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES Handicap accessible parking is available at each of the parking lots and garages. FOOD AND DRINK Visit the First Night Food Court on Alvarado Street between Franklin and Del Monte Streets. A variety of yummy food to take & go! LOST & FOUND Command Center at the FNM Kiosk in the plaza near the Monterey Conference Center. First Night is not responsible for lost or stolen items. WEATHER Rain or shine, First Night Monterey will joyfully proceed regardless of weather. 85% of First Night venues are indoors! Dress in layers and comfortable shoes. OTHER Stroller space is limited; we will make every effort to accommodate your needs. Bicycles are not permitted inside the venues; please walk bikes inside the FNM footprint. Please leave your pets at home. THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS! A big THANK YOU to our First Night Monterey volunteers who staff and help produce this New Year’s Eve event. Without all these individuals, our arts celebration would never happen! “Wishing you a creative and happy 2025!” OPENING CEREMONY Our celebration opens with a blessing by White Hawk Indian Council for Children. They’ll honor Aztec traditions to start the celebration. Reflect and look ahead to the new as we come together for First Night Monterey 2025! TWILIGHT PROCESSION The procession starts at 5:30pm and proceeds down Alvarado Street from Franklin Street towards Pearl Street. Line up on the sidewalks and cheer on our community groups! FINALE TO THE NEW YEAR COUNTDOWN TO MIDNIGHT There are two finales this year, both are indoors; PICK UP YOUR FINALE TICKET (free to button-holders) at the Portola Plaza ticket booth after 8:00pm. First come, first served, look for the signs! You will need your FNM 2025 button, and finale ticket for admission to our countdowns! The grand finale! Live music from featured performers will bring us into the New Year with a countdown to midnight! Special surprise guests may be dropping in to join the band - you never know what might happen at a First Night finale! The Coffis Brothers will play at the Golden State Theater, and The Latin Jazz Collective will be in the Serra Ballroom at the Monterey Conference Center. You can guarantee a fun and exciting time into the New Year! FIRST NIGHT MONTEREY BUTTONS Buy your buttons before New Year’s Eve & save! Buttons give you access to all indoor events and performances at First Night Monterey in Historic Downtown Monterey. Adult Buttons (16+) $28 Advance Purchase Price (Dec.15–30th) $31 Full Price (Day of Celebration, available at Event Kiosks) Youth Buttons (Ages 6 to 15) $17 Advance Purchase Price (Dec.15–30th) $20 Full Price (Day of Celebration, available at Event Kiosks) Children 5 and under are admitted FREE! Visit www.firstnightmonterey.org before 12/28 for special family packs, online purchases, and updates. FIRST NIGHT MERCHANDISE Don’t be in the dark! Light up your night with fun glow-in-the-dark items! Check out our merchandise. This is a fundraiser for First Night; all proceeds will benefit our arts outreach programs. Site 7: Alvarado St. near Pearl ................ 4:00–9:00pm Site 16: Del Monte Plaza...................... 3:00–11:00pm Welcome To Join us for 9 hours of creative, joyful, and amazing music and art! Come enjoy the bounty of entertainment First Night Monterey provides all the way into the New Year! From Jazz to Rock & Roll, World Music to Lion Dancers, and Fire Shows in the streets, we will transform your New Year’s Eve into a creative celebration! Remember to Button Up, as those fees help cover the cost of our performers. – First Night Monterey Board of Directors and Ellen Martin, Executive Director ® GLOW IN THE DARK, LIGHT UP THE NIGHT! 8 Alvarado St. Galleria 8A Creative Art Station, Alvarado St. 8B Drum Circle, Alvarado St. 9 Bonifacio Stage, Alvarado St. 10 Just Sing & Dance Stage, Alvarado St. 12 Franklin St. Stage, Alvarado St. 14 Illumination Stage, Alvarado St. OUTDOOR VENUES 1-5 Monterey Conference Center 11 Golden State Theater 15 Monterey Center for Spiritual Living (Carleton Hall) 18-23 Monterey Conference Center: Colton Room, Steinbeck Ballroom, Steinbeck 1, Serra Ballroom, Serra Lobby INDOOR VENUES 7 FNM Buttons & Merch Kiosk 13 Food Vendors 16 FNM Buttons & Merch Kiosk 17 Will Call until 8pm, at 16 after 8 EVENT KIOSKS & FOOD
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