"Families ring in New Year at downtown First Night"
December 31, 2008, 11:14 p.m.
TEYA VITU
Published: 01.01.2009
Downtown threw a family-friendly New Year's Eve party and plenty of families showed up.
And had fun. Downtown.
Droves of families got out of the house for the last night of the year or, rather, First Night, as organizers dubbed the event that brought entertainment of all sorts to a half-dozen indoor and outdoor venues.
"Normally, we'd be at home watching TV. This is way better," said Manny Ramirez, who was at the Tucson Children's Museum with his sons, Fabian, 6, and Ian, 2, and his wife, Brenda. "The kids will be burned out and we can stay up to midnight without them."
About 2,000 people checked out the inaugural alcohol-free, family-friendly First Night put on by the Downtown Tucson Partnership.
"I loved it," said Andy Nix, 6, who had just seen "Stories that Soar!" at Beowulf Alley Theatre. "I liked the puppets and the ghost popping and everything."
Andy went to First Night with his sister, Annabeth, 8, and his father, David Nix.
David Nix said he took the kids bowling last New Year's Eve and First Night was an improvement.
"Oh, yeah, it's been great," Nix said. "We went to three programs already. They loved them."
First Night buttons - $12 for adults and $6 for kids - got people into events at the Leo Rich Theatre, the Scottish Rite Cathedral, Beowulf, the Fox Theatre and the children's museum.
Free outdoor entertainment was available at La Placita Village, outside the children's museum and in front of the Tucson Music Hall.
Local singers Lisa Otey and Diane Van Deurzen usually perform at private parties on New Year's Eve.
"The whole concept, it's family," Van Deurzen said after their first set at Beowulf. "We love downtown. We like the idea the whole night is music."
Three-generation groups were common. Laura and Chuck Freebairn went downtown with their son, Kyle Freebairn, 25, who brought his son, 6-month-old Owen.
"This is our first year out," Laura Freebairn said. "We're from the Northeast Side. We were willing to make the drive. We're hearing great music. We're happy."
Chuck Freebairn suggested the next First Night have more outdoor bands and Kyle suggested organizers consider a family price when setting admission fees.
Cox Communications gave out small, blinking blue lights which people wore to give the evening extra sparkle.
Laurie O'Brien was tending to her daughter, sleeping 4-month-old Caitlyn, outside the children's museum while husband Mike had 5-year-old twins Michael and Jack at the nearby free puppet show.
"We're having fun," she said.
