What's Happening in Medina, OH…

The New Year is still months away, but the people planning Medina's first ever First Night party are asking for help.

First Night parties are becoming popular around the country. In Medina's case, the proposed celebration would fall between November's Candlelight Walk and February's Ice Festival, filling the gap between the two.

Medina's inaugural First Night is the brainchild of Barb Smith, who was executive director of First Night festivities in Canfield for three years. The first ever First Night party was held in 1975 in Boston. At that time, a group of artists was looking for a new way to celebrate the New Year. Their idea was to invite families and members of the community to enjoy performances by musicians and artists, both indoors and outdoors.

Planning for the event is still in the early stages, but Smith sees an evening that begins at around 6 or 7pm, with entertainment, activities, and food for everyone, culminating in the countdown to midnight and fireworks set off in Uptown Park. She's looking for venues to host various events.
There could be an art exhibit at the Medina Library, and performers of all kinds will be playing at venues throughout the city. She also hopes the downtown merchants will remain open until midnight.

Smith could work with brochure printers to create a booklet describing First Night, and distribute it locally to build support for the venture.