ABOUT THIS YEAR’S EVENT
A Kaleidoscope of activities, colors, lights, musical entertainment and performances unfolds on New Year's Eve in Grand Center for First Night®–Saint Louis as we dance, play, act, create and sing our way into 2009!

We chose the theme of Kaleidoscope because by definition we feel it encompasses the true spirit and experience of First Night—"fragments that come together to form a beautiful whole perhaps indicating a diversity of something such as experience or piecing together the parts of a symbolic puzzle." In the spirit of this year's theme, Grand Center will be illuminated and animated in a colorful display of lights and projections throughout the district; walk through a 24' foot kaleidoscope as you enter the district; listen to world beats from many countries including Africa, Ireland, Scotland and Persia; create a wish for the new year on our stained glass windows and identify your origins on our large-scale, lighted world map. And we top off the evening with two spectacular fireworks displays!

We invite you to a very artful party as we transform the streetscapes, parks, buildings, theaters, churches and concert halls throughout Grand Center into a fun, informative and unique way for the community to experience multiple forms of art on an evening where we celebrate our uniqueness, our commonness and the coming of the New Year!

ABOUT FIRST NIGHT
Founded in 1976 in Boston (1992 in St. Louis), First Night is a community celebration of the New Year expressed through the arts. It is a major visual and performing arts festival created by and for the community to welcome the New Year. First Night’s mission is to broaden and deepen the public’s appreciation of the arts through an innovative, diverse and high quality program which offers the community a shared cultural experience that is accessible and affordable to all. In order to maximize the participation of people of all ages, First Night is a non-alcoholic event.

Grand Center, Inc. is the parent non-profit organization and license holder that is sanctioned to produce the First Night festival for Saint Louis.

FESTIVAL HOURS
Opening Ceremonies | 6:00pm
Performances | 6:00pm to 11:30pm
Early Fireworks | 9:00pm
Countdown to the New Year | begins at 11:30pm
Fireworks | Midnight!

HOTEL PARTNER



Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark is the Official Hotel of First Night. The First Night New Years Eve Package starts at $135 and includes:

• Overnight Accommodations
• Complimentary transportation to and from Grand Center
• First Night buttons (ONE BUTTON PER ROOM OCCUPANT)

FREE HOULIHAN’S FOR A YEAR
Houlihan’s is providing 5000 bouncebacks to be distributed at First Night. Each bounceback will contain one of the following prizes:

• Free Dessert
• $10.00 Off
• Buy one entrée, get on FREE
• Free Appetizer
• Free Houlihan’s for a Year

Each bounceback must be taken to and opened at a local Houlihan’s. Do not open in advance. Everyone wins a prize!