FIRST NIGHT HARTFORD RETURNS FOR THE 35TH STRAIGHT YEAR TO RING IN 2024
LOCAL ARTISTS AND VENUES PACK THE 10-HOUR DAY WITH 2 FIREWORKS SHOWS.
First Night Hartford is back to ring in 2024 for its 35th annual New Year’s Eve tradition! This year’s celebration, hosted by Hartford’s Tang Sauce and Hydro8Sixty, invites you to enjoy Downtown Hartford’s rich ecosystem of arts & culture, small businesses, and nightlife. The celebration takes place this Sunday, December 31, 2023, from 2 PM to midnight with the two traditional fireworks shows at 6 PM and Midnight.
Several of Downtown Hartford’s arts hotspots host activities ranging from live music performances, DJs, dance, comedy, improv, theater, crafts, and more. Community partners include the Bushnell Park Carousel, Winterfest Ice Skating Rink, TheaterWorks Hartford, Sea Tea Comedy Theater, Connecticut’s Old State House, Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Christ Church Cathedral, Center Church, Sunberry, Emrey’s Specialty Sweets & Soda Shop, One Bar & Kitchen, and Trumbull Kitchen. Purchase of a First Night button is required to attend the indoor First Night programming while the outdoor main stage, dual fireworks displays, and Winterfest ice skating are free to all in attendance. Buttons are available online at firstnighthartford.org and will be available at the event at all locations including First Night’s Union Station Great Hall Headquarters for the day. Attendees are encouraged to start their day at Union Station to pick up buttons and enjoy a kids’ craft, live DJ, vendors, a silent auction, and 50/50 raffle. Additional vendors and food trucks are located on Trinity Street by the main stage in Bushnell Park.
This year’s performance partners and artists include the Dwayne Keith Project, Jonathan Barber “Stay Hartford,” DJ Kasey Cortez, Jen Allen & Leala Cyr, DJ Eric Otero, DJ Ch’Varda and more. The main stage is located on Trinity Street, beneath the Soldiers and Sailors Arch, and serves as a common gathering place for entertainment, food trucks, information, and the best vantage point for the fireworks displays. There will be a full line up at the main stage from 2 PM to midnight. The 6 PM show will kick off with the arrival of the beloved and traditional People’s Parade led by Anne Cubberly’s Giant Puppets and the Hartford Hot Several, and the midnight show will welcome the New Year as the culmination of this important and joyful regional tradition.
