First Night December 31, 2008

FIRST NIGHT® – SAINT LOUIS RINGS IN THE NEW YEAR WITH A “KALEIDOSCOPE” OF SIGHTS AND SOUNDS IN GRAND CENTER

A “Kaleidoscope” of colors, lights, music and dance unfolds on New Year’s Eve in Grand Center for First Night® – Saint Louis, the annual visual and performing arts festival that celebrates the coming of the New Year.
The opening ceremony kicks off at 6 p.m. Wednesday, December 31, at the main stage. Activities and performances continue into the New Year in a diverse mix of colorful, multi-cultural sounds and images, resulting in a vast array of artistic interpretations coming together to create an even more beautiful whole. Grand Center’s streetscapes, parks, churches, theaters and performance centers open their doors for more than 70 indoor and outdoor presentations and activities. The “Kaleidoscope” celebration culminates in a fireworks display at 9 p.m. and a Grand Finale at midnight.

Grand Center is working in collaboration with Craft Alliance and The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts to provide large-scale art installations, including pieces from The Pulitzer Foundation’s widely popular, The Light Project, and the unveiling of Craft Alliance’s completed 12-foot-high mosaic rabbit sculpture.

Revelers can also enjoy world music at the Sheldon Concert Hall and partake in creatively identifying their place of origin on a large map of the world. Visitors will also be invited to make wishes for the New Year, resulting in a stained glass effect.

With the purchase of an admission button, revelers gain access to all that First Night® – Saint Louis has to offer. Buttons will be sold at the event for $10 for adults and $5 for children. Plenty of parking will be available.

First Night, produced by Grand Center, Inc., continues to be made possible through the generous funding of St. Louis corporations and foundations, including this year’s presenting sponsor Edward Jones.

Official Website: http://www.grandcenter.org