Harry Rock, President of the Friends of the Westfield 350th. (Photo by Peter Currier)
WESTFIELD- The City of Westfield will host its first ever ‘First Night’ celebration on New Year’s Eve to kick off the beginning of the Westfield 350 celebration.
The celebration will begin at 4 p.m. on Dec. 31 at the Amelia Park Ice Arena. It will mark one of two ‘Anchor Celebrations’ for Westfield’s 350th anniversary.
“We wanted it to be family friendly and family focused,” said Harry Rock, President of the Friends of the Westfield 350th. “There is only one adult oriented event during the whole celebration and that is the cocktail party on May 17th to thank our donors.”
The First Night celebration will feature many events around the Amelia Park campus that attendees can walk freely around to. The event will begin, however, with a parade around the facility. The parade will begin its lineup at 3:30 p.m. inside the ice arena and will kick off at 4p.m..
“If people want to be in the family parade they must be there between 3:30 and 4 in the ice arena,” said Rock.
Kids in the parade will be given noise makers and light up wands. The parade will leave from the ice arena and circle Amelia’s Garden before finally ending in the garden.
At 4:30 the rest of the attractions will open to the public following the parade. In the Ice Arena, one will find musicians, a photo booth, and ice skating with free skate rental. The Amelia Park Children’s Museum will feature face painting, balloon animals, and a dance party.
In Amelia’s Garden, one will be able to watch a professional ice sculptor in action, roast s’mores, and sip on hot chocolate that is given out by the local Masons. There will be six fire pits in the garden for kids and parents to make s’mores and keep warm.
Finally, in the Boys and Girls Club building there will be a magic show, a teen rock band, and several bounce houses set up in the gymnasium.
“Our first night will not be like a Springfield or Northampton first night with bands or drinking,” said Rock, “this is a no alcohol, PG rated event. The idea was that we wanted the kids to have their own celebration and not have to stay up until midnight to do so.”
There will also be ‘bubble soccer’ located in the outside arena. It is soccer, but all the players will step into a large plastic bubble placed over their bodies.
“This will all be going on simultaneously until quarter of seven,” said Rock, “then, everyone will move out to the field behind the Boys and Girls Club.”
The event ends at 7:30 to allow parents to go home and celebrate the new year at midnight if they would like to. It also ends at that time to coincide with the midnight celebrations in Westfield, England. At the time that Westfield was founded in 1669, the American colonies were under British rule.
“I reached out to the local government of Westfield, England,” said Rock, “and we are going to wish them a happy new year at 7 p.m.”
Mayor Sullivan will be delivering the Happy New Year message to the city’s English counterpart. Afterwards, there will be a fireworks show to end the night and a special lighting of the 2019 celebratory “ball.”
All events on the First Night will be free, and there will be food options to be purchased.
