Northampton's First Night will begin at noon on Saturday
Clik here to view.
View full sizeNew Year's Eve activities in 2010 included fireworks at First Night in Northampton above and hayrides in Belchertown, bottom. Many of last year's events will be repeated Saturday night.Residents will ring in the New Year with fireworks, parties and calmer weather than they saw throughout 2011.
“It’s going to be unseasonably mild,” said abc40/Fox6 meteorologist Mike Masco.
After a year that began with blizzards, included tornadoes, a microburst, an earthquake and ended with the worst snowstorm in recent history, revelers will be able to enjoy the party without worrying about the weather.
“There won’t be any surprises this New Year’s Eve,” Masco said.
Restaurants will be open late and cities will have end-of-the-year activities for the whole family.
Holyoke Heritage State Park will play host to the 15th annual First Night Jr. starting at 10 a.m. on Dec. 31. For an admission fee of $7, families can participate in a variety of games and entertainment spread throughout the park at the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round, Children’s Museum at Holyoke, Heritage State Park Visitor’s Center and, for the first time, the Volleyball Hall of Fame. The family event will end with a New York-style, sparkling disco-like ball drop to ring in 2012 at 3:45 p.m.
Starting at noon, Northampton will host the 27th annual First Night festivities presented by the Northampton Center for the Arts and PeoplesBank. Twenty venues downtown will showcase music and family friendly events. Evening highlights include fireworks at 6:15 p.m. from the city’s parking garage and the ball-raising from the roof of the Hotel Northampton at midnight.
Cost is $16 for adults, if purchased today, or $20 on Saturday. Seniors 65 and over are $10 and children 2 through 10 are $8.
In Springfield, party goers can ring in the New Year at Mama Iguana’s restaurant on West Columbus Avenue where a huge flat screen television will broadcast the fireworks and the ball drop in New York City.
“We will have a lot of special items on the menu including lobster tamales and other higher end dishes,” said William M. Collins, chief operating officer of the Spoleto Restaurant Group. “We will stay open until 2 a.m. and will have a live DJ as well.”
Collins said Spoleto Northampton, Mama Iguana’s and Paradise City Tavern in Northampton will also stay open late. He said reservations are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome as well.
As far as traveling John J. Wallace, director of communications at Bradley International Airport, said it is not a particularly busy weekend, but travelers should still arrive 90 minutes early to check-in for their flights.
Wallace said 2011 was a good year for travel.
“Over all the airlines have seen about a 6 percent increase in travelers this year and we hope the numbers will continue to climb,” he said. “ The addition of Jet Blue last year and added flights in many airlines has also helped increase our numbers.”
The American Automobile Association of Pioneer Valley is reminding residents to drive carefully or hire a taxi service to drive them home after a long night of drinking.
A recent analysis conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety revealed that during the last decade, the years’ highest number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities occur on New Year’s Day, said Sandra J. Marsian, the vice president of membership, marketing and public relations for AAA of Pioneer Valley
Yellow Cab in Springfield will be offering free taxi rides to residents for the 31st year in a row.
Operations Manager Kamyar Rahani-Kia said previously that the company offers the rides to give back to the city and make sure people are safe. To request a ride call (413) 739-9999.
Kevin O' Hare contributed to this report.