First Night Offers Entertainment for All on New Year's Eve in Ocean City, N.J

As 2007 draws to an end, the City of Ocean City, NJ is gearing up for it's annual First Night, Ocean City's New Year's Eve celebration, scheduled to begin 4 p.m., Monday, December 31^st and lasting until midnight. Admission to this year's holiday gala, featuring 60 entertainment programs at 14 locations (see map) in downtown Ocean City concluding with a fireworks display at midnight, weather permitting, is $14.

First Night, an artistic and cultural celebration occuring from late in the afternoon until midnight in many towns throughout the United States, originated in Boston.Offered to the City as a finale to its Bicentennial events in 1976, First Night was created by a group of artists as an alternative to traditional New Year's Eve revelry. According to First Night International there will be 114 First Night celebrations held this year from across the US and in Canada and New Zealand.

An opening ceremony to kick things off in Ocean City will be held 4 p.m. at the Music Pier, which is located on the Boardwalk at Moorlyn Terrace, featuring a ribbon cutting and greeting by City officials, face painting and entertainment by the Main Stage Singers, a group of young artists from the New Jersey area, who will be performing both Disney and Broadway tunes. Rounding out the performances at the Music Pier will be Japanese Drummers from 6-8 p.m. and a "Tribute to the Beatles" by Back Beats from 9-midnight.

At the Civic Center, Fifth Street and the Boardwalk, young revelers can enjoy an indoor carnival-like atmosphere from 4-8 p.m. bouncing about four giant-sized inflatables: a Moonwalk (all ages), a Single Lane Giant Slide (all ages), a Krazy Katerpillar and Wally the Whale (children up to100 lbs.) Later from 9-midnight the Grease Band will perform "oldies" from the 50's & 60's. Across the street from the Civic Center at Gillian's Wonderland Pier, Sixth Street and the Boardwalk, older kids or kids at heart won't want to miss the amusement rides, which will be open from 5-9 p.m.