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Six months before the revelry begins on New Year’s Eve, First Night Chatham organizers have already decided to keep most of the celebration outdoors.
In an announcement Tuesday, the event’s executive committee cited continuing COVID-19 concerns, especially for children, in their decision to limit indoor activities for the traditional last-night-of-the-year party. Typically, there are dozens of performances and entertainment in indoor venues all over town.
But there is no COVID-19 vaccination yet for children under age 12.
“A major concern of the (organizing committee) is ensuring a safe family environment, especially for our youngest participants,” the announcement said. “Therefore, children’s activities will only be held outdoors” with no purchased buttons for admission required.
CHATHAM There may not be crowds, but there will still be noise. Lots of noise.
The 30th annual First Night Chatham, a townwide, family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration, has had to be reimagined and seriously downsized for this pandemic time. But volunteer organizers were determined that some version of the year-end party would still happen for 2020.
There will be no fireworks, large gatherings or public performances. But the COVID-19-era First Night Chatham will retain several of the beloved fixtures of the town tradition, reconfigured to keep everybody safe as they ring in 2021.
Among those: a composite community photo, virtual performances, ice sculptures, a scavenger hunt, a “noise parade,” and festively decorated businesses and the First Night headquarters.