FIRST NIGHT MONTEREY TO HOLD VIRTUAL EVENT
MONTEREY >> In one way, the popular New Year’s celebration First Night Monterey will disappoint some because the pandemic has forced it to be presented virtually. In another way, the New Year’s Eve celebration will be a party the likes of which Monterey Peninsula fans have never seen.
This year families can usher in the new year from the comfort of their living rooms along with a host of musical and artistic talent as well as a virtual connection with First Night celebrations in St. Petersburg, Fla., and Springfield, Ill.
“Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic we are unable to gather crowds in downtown Monterey for the traditional entertainment, but we invite people to tune in to our virtual celebration and ring in 2021 with the hope, unity and optimism that we’re all ready to embrace,” said First Night Executive Director Ellen Martin in an emailed statement.
The event has partnered with the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation Jazz Band and the Gerald Clayton Quartet, a four- time Grammy- nominated jazz pianist, for a jazz backdrop to the celebration. Visit firstnightmonterey. org/ FNM/ SneakPeek. htm for a full lineup of artists.
The Next Gen Jazz Band and its annual competitions are well known in the jazz community for bringing student musicians from middle schools, high schools and colleges to compete in a number of different categories. Top bands have the opportunity to perform at the Monterey Jazz Festival. Students also attend workshops, clinics and master classes taught by professional jazz musicians.
Other First Night performances include The Yvette Gonzales-Nacer Trio performing an eclectic Latin mix; the Black Irish Band, which has played in past First Night celebrations; Heartstrings, which bills itself as performing “punk-ish pop rock music that is written mostly about love;” and MC Lars, Dirty Cello and East of Eden with Kiki Wow in her final Monterey concert.
The Dec. 31 festivities run from 6 p.m. to midnight with Kids’ Night Out activities beginning at 3 p.m. featuring dance, art and storytelling. The celebration will be broadcast at YouTube.com/ FirstNightMonterey.
There is no cost but the festival encourages contributions on its website: firstnightmonterey.org. First Night’s office line is (831) 373- 4778.
The stated mission of
First Night Monterey has always been to bring families together and unite the local community in all its diversity through the visual and performing arts and to foster the public’s appreciation of those arts.
Paulette Lynch and her husband Ken Peterson launched First Night Monterey in 1992, aided by a group of artists and Peninsula residents who wanted a creative alternative to the traditional New Year’s Eve
celebration.
Lynch came to Monterey from the Boston area where the First Night concept was created in 1976.