First Night® Springfield – Coast to Coast!
Let’s fly into the New Year with First Night®, from coast to coast.
This family-friendly event hosted on New Year’s Eve by the Springfield Area Arts Council, can be enjoyed alone or with friends and family. Bringing you music, art, dance, poetry, and fun activities for children, this year’s celebration of the arts will feature talented performers not only from the Springfield area but also from Monterey, California, and St. Petersburg, Florida. What better way to see 2020 out than with four hours of high quality entertainment from three time zones?
“As the Arts Council approaches its 45th anniversary in 2021, we’re giving First Night Springfield to our community at no charge,” says Sheila Walk, Executive Director. “To keep artists and audiences safe, several of our programs were COVID-cancelled this year, but we’re keeping this holiday tradition alive. Our 34th annual festival of the arts will be ‘virtual’ on Thursday, December 31st, and will be available on Facebook , YouTube, and Vimeo. You can find the links on our website at www.springfieldartsco.org. We hope many people join us for all or part of the evening from the comfort of their homes.”
Walk adds, “First Night Springfield is not only the Arts Council’s signature event, but also it is our biggest annual fund-raiser. Our event sponsors help us pay area performers. We’ll collect donations securely throughout the four-hour show to make some money.”
First Night Springfield will begin at 8:00 P.M., and a fireworks show from St. Petersburg will bring the countdown to midnight. This virtual production is being created by Brian Crowdson; the evening’s hostess is favorite local actress, Aasne Vigesaa. Felicia Olin and Karen Nickerson created the promotional material.
From Lamar Walls, one of the organizers of the event: “The visual arts will be represented at this year’s First Night celebration. The Springfield Area Arts Council will give away art kits in partnership with Lowe’s Home Improvement and will hold a children’s art contest via our social media platforms using #kidsartsaac for a chance to win art-themed prizes.”
Where: in front of the Hoogland Center for the Arts at 420 South Sixth Street, Springfield
When: Saturday, December 26, from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.
The visual arts also will be part of the New Year’s Eve program:
Making a celebration hat and a popper – from Monterey, California
Rock painting – from St. Petersburg, Florida
LOCAL PERFORMERS:
Enjoy original blues music from the legendary James Armstrong and country blues from Jake Shane along with country music from Britney Long and cowboy music from Randy Erwin. There will be musical theater selections from Legacy Theater and ballet from Springfield Dance. The Craig Russo Project and The House Trio will perform Latin jazz. Poetry will be presented by Sydney McCabe, Delon James, and Derick Turner.
FROM MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA:
Shinsho Mugen – taiko drummers
MC Lars and Spector Dance – rap
Dirty Cello – bluegrass
Heartstrings – Celtic
Monterey Next Generation – children’s jazz orchestra
FROM ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA:
Underground Cirque – fire dancers
Gio’s Typos – holiday poetry
Cal Morris – classical
BoHo Sideshow – roots
Springfield’s Got Talent Winners Announced
Kids: Vocal
Winner: Kayleigh Paris
“I’m Going to Love You” by Meghan Trainor
Runner up: Amanda Rollins
Love Is An Open Door
Kids: Performance Arts
Winner: Mike Hofner
Lost Boy Dance by Annaliese
Young Adult: Vocal
Winner: Evelyn Vinzant
Adult: Vocal
Winner: Marsha Grant
Song; There Are Worst Things I Could Do
Adult: Visual Arts
Winner: Glen Aylward Barriers
Adult: Performance Arts
Winner: Natalie Sims
MNY Crazy For Love
Runner up: Ben Paoletti
Oh, My Gourd!!
Runner up: Layna Rivas
Shoeshine
Adult: Musical
Winner: Becky Kunken
Hornpipe from Handel’s Water Music
Runner up: Merle Steinert
I will follow you into the dark
Runner up: Prairie Winds Flute Ensemble
Ashokan Farewell performed by the Prairie Winds Flute Ensemble
To view the winning videos visit:
https://www.illinoistimes.com/springfield/springfields-got-talent/