Families gather around a firepit to make s’mores at the city’s first First Night celebration. This year’s First Night is Dec. 31 at the Amelia Park complex. (File Photo)
WESTFIELD- Following the well-received inaugural First Night celebration that kicked off the Westfield 350th anniversary, the City of Westfield will have its second ever First Night to bring us into 2020.
The event will again take place in the Amelia Park and Boys and Girls Club complex with some activities taking place inside the Children’s Museum as well.
The first events for the First Night will begin at 4:15 p.m. with a free skate in the Amelia Park Ice Arena. That will be the first of two free one-hour skating sessions. The second skating session begins at 5:30 p.m.
The rest of the events in the complex begin at 4:30 p.m. with activities taking place in all three buildings.
Kaitlin Sicard of the Children’s Museum said that there will be face painting, a bounce house, short films and cartoons for kids, and arts and crafts between the Museum and Boys and Girls Club gym.
In addition, local magician Jeff Kempton will be performing magic for those who attend.
Michael R. Knapik makes some noise during last year’s First Night event. (File Photo)
In the Amelia Park Ice Arena, there will be an unnamed movie being projected on the wall of the building. Those who take part in the free skates can skate with Boomer, the mascot from the Springfield Thunderbirds hockey team. There will also be a glowstick dance party.
All activities will end at 6:30 p.m. so that people can gather outside the Boys and Girls Club for a fireworks show at 7 p.m..
Kellie Brown, director of operations for the Greater Westfield Boys and Girls Club, said that the fireworks wouldn’t be quite as big as last year’s, but that it would still be an approximately 15 to 20 minute show.
She added that the fireworks were purchased with leftover funding from the Westfield 350.
Brown advised that handicapped parking would be available at Amelia Park on the side that faces the Boys and Girls Club. Fall over parking will be available at the old lumber yard. Brown also asked that nobody bring pets or smoke on the premises during the events.
