First Night Celebrations

It’s time to ring in the new year and a new decade. Communities around the country and world offer the opportunity to celebrate with drug- and alcohol-free First Night events on December 31, 2009. First Night was initiated in Boston in 1976 by a group of artists and civic-minded citizens as an alternative to traditional parties.

With activities ranging from ice skating, live performances and fireworks, here are a few celebrations to consider.

First Night Wilmington, Delaware
Rodney Square in Wilmington is the location of the 17th annual New Year’s Eve celebration of the arts. Special features include the return of the popular skating rink on Market Street, events in the main tent on Rodney Square, expanded food court, youth tapestry exhibit and the traditional fireworks finale at 9:45 p.m.

First Night River Bend, Godfrey, Illinois
First Night River Bend is an alcohol-free, family-oriented New Year’s Eve celebration, featuring live music, singers, dancers, jugglers, magicians and shows for people of all ages. Events begin at 6:30 p.m. and conclude at 11:45 p.m. with a Finale Procession to view the final ascent of the Millennium Ball and the fireworks. First Night River Bend is a community project of Lewis and Clark Community College.

First Night Buffalo, New York
The annual holiday family tradition in Buffalo is celebrating its 21st year with activities for all ages to ring in the New Year, including rides and amusements, a storybook forest, live theater, music, dance competitions, roller skating, exotic reptiles, explosive science experiments, the grand finale balloon drop and more. Festivities take place at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center.

First Night Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Christmas City is the site of a First Night celebration offering venues within walking distance of each other. Families can enjoy folk, choral and instrumental music; jazz, blues and rock bands; magicians; clowns; arts and crafts; children’s performances; snowman building; ice skating and more. A 5K race begins at 1 p.m. and Bethlehem’s First Night celebrations conclude with the Just Born PEEP® drop and a spectacular fireworks display.

First Night Alexandria, Virginia
Old Town Alexandria rings in the New Year with family-friendly and budget-friendly events at 19 indoor venues with multiple stages featuring more than 100 performances from 7 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. and spectacular fireworks at midnight. Those wanting an early start can join the afternoon Fun Hunt scavenger hunt at 2:30 p.m.

First Night Winchester, Virginia
The 23rd New Year’s Eve festival of the arts in historic downtown Winchester includes more than 100 performers staging over 35 shows. Performances include country, classical, rock ’n roll, swing and jazz, gospel, big band, barbershop harmony, a Celtic harpist, and much more. With clowns, model trains, karaoke, dancing and more, this event is designed for the whole family. The children’s fireworks show begins at 8 p.m. with the traditional Apple Drop and a spectacular fireworks show to celebrate the New Year begins at 11:30 p.m.

Photos top to bottom: Alexandria, Virginia, fireworks at midnight usher in the New Year, 2008; Buffalo, New York; Alexandria, Virginia, runners during the King Street Mile.

A Driving Tour of Civil War Sites in Kerr County, Texas

Today, we take a look at the role Kerr County, Texas, played in the Civil War. Kerr County is located 60 miles northwest of San Antonio on I-10. The most well-known community is Kerrville, on the Guadalupe River.

While no formal military engagements were fought in Kerr County, the area was awash in the blood and terror of the local conflict between Confederates and Unionists. Hangings, shootings, house burnings and despoliation of farms were the reality of the Civil War in Kerr County.

Joseph Luther, Ph.D., has compiled a scenic 75-mile back-road driving loop that begins and ends at Camp Verde. GPS coordinates are provided. Read Dr. Luther's post on Kerr County's role in the Civil War on Kerrville's blog.

Photo: Kerr County, Texas.

Great Gift Ideas: A Shopping Mall Alternative

Tired of the same old gifts from shopping centers? Previously, we shared with you the suggestion to shop Main Street. Today, we’ve found a few out-of the-ordinary ideas from Gozaic partners’ museum shops.

Imagine having Elvis at your holiday celebrations! Graceland, in Memphis, Tennessee, offers life-size Elvis stand-ups measuring 6 feet 2 inches tall. Choose from Surfing Elvis, Jailhouse Rock Elvis, ‘70s Elvis and many more. Great for souvenir photos of your party.

Packed with protein and full of regional flavors, this 12 ounce canister of peanuts is a traditional taste of Virginia. Colonial Williamsburg, in Williamsburg, Virginia, is offering the same premium peanuts served in Colonial Williamsburg’s taverns.

The beauty and wonderment of gardening can be shared with children through storybook seed kits available at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Classic stories like “Jack’s Magic Beans,” “Cinderella’s Magic Pumpkin” and “The Princess’ Pea” are the themes of these gardening kits, which get kids interested in gardening. The kits include a stake, pencil, fun activities, recipes and a special seed to grow.

For someone who survived the 1969 Woodstock Festival, or those who wished they were there, the Museum at Bethel Woods, in Bethel, New York, is selling the Bethel Woods Bus Groovy Art 3D Ornament.

The title of this book, available at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum in New York City, caught our eye. Depending on who you hang out with, it could read like a party guest list! “A Guide to Gangsters, Murderers and Weirdos of New York’s Lower East Side.” Sounds like an interesting read to us.

Photos top to bottom: Graceland, Colonial Williamsburg, Museum at Bethel Woods

Add a Historic Twist to Your Holidays (Part 2)

Today, we offer a few more ideas of places to enjoy the holiday spirit. As towns and historic sites light up for the holidays, now is a great time to visit. Earlier this week, we offered our first suggestions. Here are a few more places to learn about holiday customs from a past era, see holiday lights and luminarias and enjoy festivals.

Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace, Savannah, Georgia, Christmas 1886 with the Gordons, thru Dec. 29, 2009: Explore holiday customs during the Victorian era at the home of the founder of the Girl Scouts, Juliette Gordon Low. The home is beautifully decorated for the holidays, the table is set for Christmas dinner, the stockings are ready in Mama’s bedroom and the vintage “Game of Merry Christmas” is out.

Natchitoches, Louisiana, Christmas Festival of Lights, thru Jan. 6, 2010: Visitors to Louisiana’s Natchitoches can enjoy the Festival of Lights beginning on Nov. 21. Events throughout the season include the 83rd annual Christmas Festival on Saturday, Dec. 5, with entertainment, arts, crafts, food vendors, parade, fireworks, laser show and the lighting of more than 300,000 Christmas bulbs.

Santa Fe, New Mexico, Holiday Nights, Dec. 16-25, 2009: Santa Fe simply glows during the holiday season. Every curb, roadway or rooftop is lined with small fires — little rivers of light. Luminarias and farolitos create a picturesque, warm glow on cold wintry Southwest nights.

Middleton Place, Charleston, South Carolina, Middleton Place Grand Illumination, Dec. 18, 2009: See historic Middleton Place by torchlight, candlelight and moonlight. This special Christmas celebration introduces the holiday traditions of the 18th and 19th centuries. Stroll garden paths illuminated by torches and hear costumed interpreters describe Christmas during the Revolutionary War and Civil War eras. In the Middleton Place house, learn Christmas traditions celebrated by the family. End the evening around a warm fire and enjoy seasonal refreshments.

Isaiah Davenport House Museum, Savannah, Georgia, Holiday Evening Tours by Candlelight, Dec. 26-30, 2009, 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m.: Glistening in the candlelight, the Federal-style Isaiah Davenport House Museum welcomes visitors to an experience emphasizing the end-of-year celebrations of early 19th-century Savannahians, including the Davenports, who lived in the fine brick home on Columbia Square. Tours start Dec. 26 and continue through Dec. 30.

Photos from top to bottom: Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace, Savannah, Georgia; Santa Fe, New Mexico

Add a Historic Twist to Your Holidays (Part 1)

Are you looking to add a bit of culture to the holiday season? This time of year, historic homes and local communities dress up and present holiday programs giving you a chance to see the lights, sites and learn more about regional traditions. Here is a sampling of holiday events from Gozaic.com with more coming later this week.

Monterey County, California, Christmas in the Adobes, Dec. 10 and 12, 2009, 5 p.m.-9 p.m.: Monterey invites visitors to tour many historic adobes by candlelight at the 25th Annual Christmas in the Adobes. Period decorations, musical entertainment and costumed re-enactors create a delightful atmosphere. The 20 19th-century adobes, lit by luminaries for the holidays, are within close proximity to each other, making it easy for guests to enjoy the array of décor and music.

Edenton-Chowan County, North Carolina, Annual Candlelight Christmas Tour and Parade, Dec. 11-12, 2009: The annual Christmas tour features private homes seasonally decorated and open to the public from 4 p.m.-8 p.m. The Barker House is the headquarters for this event and where the holiday repast takes place, with famous eggnog and more; repast begins at 1 p.m. Enjoy the Christmas parade with floats, boats, horses, children and holiday cheer on Dec. 12 beginning at 11 a.m.

Franklin-Williamson County, Tennessee, Dickens of a Christmas, Dec. 12-13, 2009: The Dickens Festival brings the joy and charm of an old-fashioned Victorian Christmas to historic downtown. Franklin’s Main Street is transformed with costumed Dickens characters, the clatter of a horse and carriage and a holiday bazaar. Victorian treats abound, from authentic fish and chips to turkey legs, roasted chestnuts and sugarplums.

Historic Rugby, Tennessee, Christmas at Historic Rugby,
Dec. 12, 2009; 4 p.m.-9 p.m.: Step back to an 1880s Christmas in Rugby, Tennessee. Visit beautifully decorated candle- and lamp-lit buildings, with actors portraying early Rugby colonists; join in carol singing with hot wassail and a traditional service at 1887 Christ Church; shop for holiday treasures at the Rugby Commissary; and enjoy a four-course Victorian dinner at the Harrow Road Café.

Bluefield-Princeton, West Virginia, Bramwell Christmas Tour of Homes, Dec. 12, 2009: Take a holiday tour of the homes of Bramwell lavishly decorated for Christmas. Hear the stories of the extravagant coal barons who spared no expense on their homes. Once the gateway to the Pocahontas coalfields, Bramwell was home of many coal operators — at one time as many as 19 millionaires lived in Bramwell. During the tour of homes, also visit the museum and shops.

Photos from top to bottom: Dixon House, Edenton, North Carolina; Rugby Christmas, Tennessee.

Shop Main Streets This Holiday Season!

The holiday season is officially upon us, and holiday shopping is on all of our minds.  Shopping locally supports our communities, our economy and the livelihoods of millions of Americans.  Money spent on Main Street stays within the community and sustains those who need it most.

Gozaic is joining the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street program in issuing a call to support America’s Main Streets – during the holiday season and throughout the year. The video below captures the spirit of Main Street and the importance of shopping at local businesses.  Help spread the word by tweeting this post, posting it on Facebook or emailing it to your friends!