First Night
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Tacoma-Pierce county all ages New Year’s Eve festival is back on.
by Paul Schrag
Dec 27, 2007
It’s time to banish the ghost of 2007 once and for all, Tacoma.
It’s been two years since teetotaler Tacomans had something to do on New Year’s Eve. Well, this year, dry or sauced, there will be more than enough for everybody thanks to the return of First Night, which is back full force to celebrate the arrival of 2008. If you’re into rock ‘n’ roll, First Night has it. If you’re into polka, it has that too. Canadian folk fans are covered as are dancehall and reggae devotees. Event organizers have even packed in some hip-hop, performing pigs and a New Year’s fashion blowout at Junior Bizarre. Not at the same time, unfortunately.
Yes, First Night Tacoma-Pierce County is back and promises to be bigger, better and more piratey than ever (OK, piratey isn’t a word, but it sounds good ). Debt-free and ready to roll, the resurrection of Tacoma’s annual, non-alcoholic, arts-enriched, sumptuous, family-friendly New Year celebration is alive in a way that may not have been achievable without a little time off, says board chair Bennett Thurmon.
“This is our comeback year,” says Thurmon. “Come down at six o’clock, and we’ll have something to offer everyone.”
First Night is a coordinated international phenomenon with more than 100 cities worldwide manifesting (relatively) drunk-free celebrations that allow people not interested in being totally smashed to come out of their homes to celebrate New Year’s. In Tacoma, past celebrations have included giant puppets, parades, pirates, racing pigs, rolling heads, music, performers, fireworks, medieval sword fights, and more. First Night is back with a pirate theme this year — only without as much rum, body odor, raping or pillaging (big ups to Johnny Depp and Disney for making piracy palatable to middle America). “The Year of the Pirate” theme doesn’t really inform much of the entertainment, but there will be plenty of scurvy dogs downtown as partygoers travel from destination to destination. Venues for this year’s offerings are all about Broadway — the Rialto Theater, Theater on the Square, the Pantages, Tacoma School of the Arts, Sanford and Son, the Pythian Temple, and a main stage at 936 Broadway. Metro Parks helped organize this year, and it shows.
“They loaned us some event staff who were instrumental in putting this all together,” says Thurmon. “We couldn’t have done it without them.”
First Night Highlights
- Rialto — 310 S. Ninth
Valentine’s Performing Pigs, 6-7:45 p.m.
It’s time for the pig Olympics, beotches! Jumping pigs, “ham-dunking” mini-pigs, pigs playing soccer, golf, football. Bring your W-2s and pigs will do your taxes. Nellie, the world’s smartest pig, is sure to start your night off right.
- Main Stage — 936 Broadway
Alex Duncan, 10:30-11:50 p.m., leading up to midnight countdown
Alex Duncan brings some live reggae, dancehall and hybrid vibes to the stage. This man is a hustler like few in the business with more than 200 live performances a year. Come help him ring in the new year with style.
- Pantages — 901 Broadway
Tiller’s Folly, 10:30-11:30 p.m.
Canadian folk doesn’t sound cool, but Tiller’s Folly will make you a believer. First Night Board Chair Bennett Thurmond is especially stoked about this one. Tiller’s Folly does a badass version of “Auld Lang Syne” too.
- Sanford and Son — 743 Broadway
Abztrakt Synergy, 8:30-9:15 p.m.
Abztrakt Synergy presents a “21st century media synthesis of collaborative live-action painting, poetry, and music” with live sculpture and other surprises.
- SOTA — 1117 Broadway
Instrument Petting Zoo
Come to see, feel, and try out a variety of musical instruments provided by Ted Brown Music and other local musicians throughout the night at SOTA.
- The Pythian Temple
Deborah Page, 8:30-9:15 p.m.
I was blown away when I listened to Deborah Page. She breaks a dozen conventions, dancing across musical landscapes. I swear I heard elements of late ’80s Goth, Spanish ballad, modern folk, funk, and a few other things in the course of a few songs. Her voice is near flawless, varied and haunting. Go see this woman sing. You won’t be disappointed.
First Night
- What: First Night is Tacoma’s New Year’s Eve celebration. It’s a family-friendly, alcohol-free celebration. This year’s theme is “The Year of the Pirate.”
- When: Monday, Dec. 31, 5 p.m. until past midnight.
- Where: Downtown Tacoma
- Cost: $7 before the event at www.brownpapertickets.com, Museum of Glass, Leroy Jewelers, Glenna’s Clothing and Sanford & Son. Buttons are $8 day of event at the Broadway Center. Children 7 and younger are free.
- Information: Go to: www.firstnighttacoma.org
First Night Speak
How to talk like a pirate, courtesy of Cap’n Rummy:
- Take all words with “r” in ’em and stretch out the sound. So “word” becomes “worrrrrrrrd”, “scurvy” becomes “scurrrrrrrrvy” and “Swarner” becomes “Swarrrnerrrr”.
- Don’t be sayin’ “you.” Say “ye” or “yer.” Don’t be sayin’ “for.” Be sayin’ “fer.” Don’t be sayin’ “to”; be sayin’ “ter.” For example, “Ye goin’ wit us ter the Matadorrrrr fer some shots of Patrrrron?”
- “Gs” at the end of verbs be the mortal enemies of Pirates. “Pirating” should be a-spoken as “piratin’”; “drinking” becomes “drinkin,’” and “falling facedown in the flipping gutter” becomes “fallin’ facedown in the flippin’ gutter.”
- Use the word “be” a lot. As in “I be off to the Instrument pettin’ zoo at SOTA,” or “I hear there be a Hurdy Gurdy show later.”
- If you run out of things to say, or if yer too smashed to complete a sentence, just say “Arrrr!”
