The Boston Courant reports (note: Link will take you to a photo of the Courant story, since the Courant is one of the few papers left in the US that does not have a Web site - on purpose, no less).
UPDATE: Conventures, which is running First Night, says there will be the traditional fireworks over Boston Harbor.
H/t Ron.
A little cold weather didn't deter First Nighters from enjoying the traditional parade down Boylston Street tonight.
Marchers wished watchers a happy new year; some threw glow sticks or applied reflective stickers to the faces of little kids:
What would a parade be without dragons?
Louise Miller took in the ice sculptures in Copley Square this morning.
T schedules (free after 8 p.m.)
First Night Against Police Violence die in planned for 5 p.m. in Copley Square.
Brian D'Amico ambled around the Back Bay and the Common during First Night tonight.
Copyright Brian D'Amico. Posted in the Universal Hub pool on Flickr.
Leslee watched a First Night ice sculptor at work at the Prudential Center last night.
Posted under this Creative Commons license and in the Universal Hub pool on Flickr.
In 1928, at the height of Prohibition, Leslie Jones photographed the Boston Police Liquor Squad (commanded by Oliver Garrett, second from right) just before they fanned out across the city to ensure no drinking was going on at local hotels.
If you're going out tonight, there's First Night, of course. The Boston Calendar has more options.
Photo posted under this Creative Commons license.
Gone.
Just in from the organizers of our iconic celebration:
The Board of Directors of First Night Boston announced today that the agency does not currently have the funds to continue planning First Night Boston 2014, which should take place on December 31, 2013. The board of directors voted to cease operations for the private non-profit organization that was founded in 1976 and has produced 37 First Night festivals. First Night Boston 2014 would have been the 38th edition of the event.
The Board cites declining foundation and sponsorship dollars as the main reason First Night would not be able to raise the funds necessary to produce this year’s event. First Night will lay off staff and close its offices on June 30, 2013. This will mean the loss of three full-time positions, one part-time position, six year-round contractor positions and various seasonal contract festival production positions. First Night does have a small reserve, and will be able to pay its bills before closing its doors.
The Board of First Night hopes to transfer the First Night Boston trademark to the City of Boston. The Board, recognizing that First Night is one of the City’s signature events, plans to work with the City to identify an organization that can assume the First Night brand and eventually produce an event containing at least some of the elements of a First Night celebration.
Maria M. spotted these Cadbury Cream Eggs at a local CVS yesterday:
Is Valentine's Day no longer sacred?! :)
No doubt there's an excellent reason why the people putting on tonight's family fireworks at 7 p.m. on the Common didn't want First Night to include information about them in their schedule or even answer questions about them, so just because I can't think of what that reason might be doesn't mean it's not perfectly sane and reasonable.
Post update with further information from BFD.
This statement just in from Fire Commissioner Roderick Fraser:
I have reviewed the evidence provided by the Boston Police Department regarding the events at the Rise nightclub as well as the documentation provided by my Nightclub Inspectors and have determined that the Rise was in violation of their posted capacity and have fined them accordingly. The Boston Fire Department takes overcrowding or any other violations of the fire code which would endanger the public's safety, very seriously.
Matthew Cote videoed today's demolition of one of the melting Boston Common ice sculptures:
Some fire spinners from the Haven (Boston's only Scottish pub) went for a Hogmanay walk around JP's Hyde Square last night.
Video by Shawneholland.
First Night ice sculpture, melting in Copley Square, and a bird checking out people watching the Grand Procession down Boylston:
They unloaded an icy pharaoh at Copley Square today. And it looks like the king's put on some weight: Took four guys to get him out of the truck for the same display:
Good Morning, Gloucester shows us ice blocks in the making.
Paul Marotta shows us what ice sculptors can do with the stuff.
For starters, this year's First Night button makes you think, Joel Brown writes:
Wish I'd gone to the party last night so I could have seen the puzzled looks on the faces of the local dignitaries when the button was unveiled ...
Katken photographed First Night, including this ice sculpture in front of Trinity Church.
Posted under this Creative Commons license and tagged as universalhub on Flickr.
Greg Mackay photographed ice penguins by the Aquarium. Matt Conti videoed the fireworks over Boston Harbor.
My favorite parts of the First Night Grand Procession are always the unusual outfits and the giant puppets, because you just don't tend to see stuff like that in your average parade.
Hope you have a great New Year's!
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