THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 11, 1996 TAG: 9601090109
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SCOTT McCASKEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
Despite drizzle, thick fog and a less-than-hoped for turnout, organizers of the first-ever First Night Norfolk New Year's Eve celebration say the event was a success and plan to make it an annual affair.
``This exceeded our expectations in many ways,'' said Karen Scherberger, director of Festevents, which produced First Night. ``There were lots of inquiries from out of state, overwhelming support from the local arts community, good media response and a greater audience than expected considering the less than favorable weather.''
Although as many as 75,000 people had been predicted for the family oriented, alcohol-free celebration of the arts, Scherberger estimates a total of 25,000 merrymakers attended the event. Activities began at 3 p.m. on New Year's Eve day and ran past midnight. More than 100 visual and performing arts shows were featured at 25 sites throughout downtown and Ghent.
Free trolleys taxied revelers through downtown - where most of the action was - to Ghent and back. Bill Pearson, Tidewater Regional Transit's superintendent of trolley operations, estimates that between 1,500 and 2,000 riders took advantage of the free shuttles.
Crowds were sparse along the street and at many outdoor sites, but the turnout was high at most of the indoor venues.
``It was kind of deserted on the street, but once you got to where you were going it was full,'' said Cyn Matchett, a Chesapeake resident who was at the festival from 5 p.m. until after midnight.
First Night's diverse roster of entertainment ranged from street corner mimes to ballet to a Chinese New Year celebration at the Friendship Park Pagoda. Many shows were free, but others required the purchase of a First Night button to attend.
``By virtue of attendance, people seemed to be attracted to a lot of the smaller, more intimate, venues,'' Scherberger said. ``People really turned out at the ballet studio and the MacArthur Theater.''
The midnight fireworks display at Town Point Park drew the largest outdoor crowd.
``After midnight several thousand people spilled into the streets,'' said Norfolk resident Chuck East. ``It looked to be about the same sized crowd as a good concert at Town Point Park. They all seemed to be in a great mood.''
Participants gave the festival very good reviews, despite the bad weather and smaller than expected crowds.
``I liked the fact that it was a family activity and there were a lot of things to do for a lot of people,'' said Linda Banyay of Norfolk, who saw the Virginia Opera's ``Hansel and Gretel'' at the Harrison Opera House and the Brass Quintet at the Chrysler Museum.
``Our family loved it,'' Matchett said. ``The entertainment was good, and there was a festive atmosphere.''
Scherberger said that the event drew the family clientele for which it is designed. First Night celebrations are held in 150 cities nationwide and are run under the guidelines of the International Alliance of First Night Celebrations, which requires cities to meet family oriented criteria before the First Night title is granted.
``It ran very smoothly,'' Scherberger emphasized. ``There were no arrests, no artist cancellations and few problems. We were prepared for any crisis, but there weren't any.''
There were, however, some complaints. Several people said that the events were too spread out. Others noted that more food vendors were needed along the streets that hosted several shows.
``The only problem was that there weren't enough vendors,'' Banyay said. ``Someone could have made a fortune selling hot cider by the Chrysler.''
Scherberger said that the festival was ``pretty phenomenal'' for a first-year endeavor and that it is only the first of many to come. The approximately $75,000 in production costs were paid by corporate sponsors, and money received from the sales of several thousand buttons will go toward next year's expenses.
``At this point we aren't making any decisions on what to do or change for next year,'' Scherberger said. ``We're waiting for feedback from our committee and the public. I don't know that we'll change a whole lot, just improve on what worked, and nearly everything worked. But I wish I could put the next show in concert with better weather.'' ILLUSTRATION: Marchers in the Mayor's Walk parade down Colley Avenue during
the start of the first-ever First Night Norfolk, which organizers
say will become an annual event.
Staff photo by
MARTIN
SMITH-RODDEN
by CNB