REVIEW: 2022 NEW YEAR FESTIVAL FIRST NIGHT BOSTON

A review of how Boston kicked off the New Year

By McKenzie Tiemann

This Year, Boston commemorated the start of 2022 with a city-wide event known as First Night. First Night is an outdoor festival that has celebrated music, art, and the winter season since 1975. The festival spanned across Boston's most well-known areas, including the Boston Common, Boston Harbor, Boston Public Library, and Copley Square. The event featured various musical and visual performances, fireworks displays, a pyrotechnics and light show counting down to midnight, and an ice sculpture exhibit.

Participants of First Night had the opportunity to attend an ice skating performance with competitive figure skaters, hosted at Frog Pond by The Skating Club of Boston. For kids, there was an animated puppet show performed by the Puppet Showplace Theater outside the Copley Place Mall.

Fireworks were displayed at two separate locations: the Boston Commons and the second was the finale at midnight over the Boston Harbor. The fireworks were provided by The City of Boston, The Mugar Foundation, and The Friends of Christopher Columbus Park. Several musical guests were featured during the event, including performances by New England's premiere acapella group, "Vocal Revolution," and the winner of the 2019 New England Music Awards' "New Artist of the Year," Award, Alli Haber.

The theme of the 2022 First Night ice sculpture exhibit was "Wonders of the Frozen Ocean." Artists from all over created their versions of animals from the icy poles. Their work was featured in an ice display at Copley Square and the Boston Public Library, the sculptures showcased with a backlight of blues, purples, and yellows, highlighting the detail and craftsmanship of each piece.

A Boston University student who attended the event refers to the experience as a fun way to celebrate the New Year.

When asked about the event, the student said, "I have never been to a festival quite like First Night, and I thought it was well done. It was cool that I was able to look at handcrafted ice sculptures because I never really have the opportunity to do unique things that often. There was such a variety in the animals the artists chose to create and I thought it was a great addition to the rest of the night. I would recommend anyone else in the Boston area to check it out if they're looking for something different to do on their new Year."

First Night Boston has a long-standing tradition of bringing joy, laughter, and wonder to the people of Boston. The festival will continue to celebrate the winter season in 2023 and give individuals a memorable experience that they can carry into the New Year.