The annual New Year’s Eve event first held in Boston in 1976 was called First Night.
First Night Boston was created as an arts-centered alternative to celebrations focused mainly on drinking. The inaugural event took place on December 31, 1976, and brought performances, exhibitions, and public activities into Boston’s city center. Its organizers aimed to make a welcoming celebration for people of different ages.
The model spread to other American cities, where “First Night” became a common name for community New Year’s Eve arts festivals. Programs could include music, dance, theater, visual art, ice sculpture, and a midnight countdown. Many participating events were nonprofit or community organized.
First Night is therefore both a specific Boston event and the name of a broader movement. It should not be confused with First Night celebrations that began later in other cities. Boston’s event is historically significant because it helped popularize the idea of a family-friendly, arts-based public New Year celebration.