First Nights and New Year's Eve

Enjoy First Nights, kid-friendly, alcohol-free events designed to broaden appreciation of the arts and usher in 2010 in family style!

Shenandoah Valley | Hampton Roads | Central Virginia
Southern Virginia | Blue Ridge Highlands | Northern Virginia

Shenandoah Valley

First Night Harrisonburg

Buchanan - Dec 31 - New Year’s Eve Bell Ringing - Enjoy a reception featuring music, light refreshments and games beginning at 8PM. Then, enjoy a free movie at 10PM, followed by an 11:30PM gathering in the Fellowship Hall and on the front lawn of Trinity Episcopal Church to ring in the New Year. Activities will include watching the dropping of the New Year’s Ball and the ringing of Buchanan’s historic church bells throughout downtown at midnight.

Harrisonburg - Dec 31 - First Night Harrisonburg - Celebrate the New Year with your family and community. Festivities and entertainment begin at 6:00 p.m. and conclude with a fireworks spectacular at midnight.

Mt. Crawford - Dec 31 - New Year's Ali d'Oro Gala - Join us for our Second Annual "Danza d'Oro"...The Gold Dance! Celebrating the season with wine, food and dance in our beautifully decorated Key Room. This black-tie event is the perfect beginning to your Christmas week! $100 per person.

Natural Bridge - Dec 31 - New Year's Eve at The Natural Bridge - Celebrate the New Year at the Natural Bridge of Virginia with food, entertainment and champagne! Packages available!

Roanoke - Dec 31 - New Year's Eve Blast - Featuring Enuff playing all of your favorite hits from the 80s. What better way to ring in the new year than with the annual dropping of the Roanoke Star?

See the apple drop at First Night Winchester.

Staunton - Dec 31 - New Year's Eve Gala - Enjoy a romantic evening and ring in the New Year with Style at the Stonewall Jackson Hotel.

Stephenson - Dec 31 - Jordan Springs New Year's Black Tie Dinner and Concert - Ring in the New Year right at historic Jordan Springs this year! Wear your formal attire for this gourmet dining experience followed by a performance from Winchester Orchestra. The 40 piece top quality band will begin promptly at 9 p.m. after the meal. Visit the web site for ticket information.

Vinton - Dec 31 - Enchanted Eve: A New Year's Eve Alcohol-Free Celebration - “Enchanted Eve” is Roanoke County’s alcohol-free, New Year’s Eve celebration, which provides a range of alternative possibilities to traditional New Year’s Eve revelry. The many community-based "inside" events will reflect activities and entertainment for all ages.

Warm Springs - Dec 31 - New Year's Eve Music Holiday - Celebrate the New Year at Garth Newel with the Chamber Players, Beethoven, and delicious food. Our jazz trio plays music for dancing until the Champagne toast at midnight. Then start your year right with a concert and brunch on New Year’s Day.

Winchester - Dec 31 - First Night Winchester - Ring in the New Year at First Night Winchester in historic Old Town! The fun begins with more than 50 performers staging over 35 shows, including rock’n’roll, jazz, country, classical, big band, magicians puppeteers, a world champion trick roper, and much, much more! First Night will go on rain or shine, so get your admission buttons in advance for a discount or at the gate for $12

Hampton Roads

Newport News - Dec 31 - New Year's Masquerade Celebration in City Center - Dance the night away and enjoy special performances that include the LATIN BALLET OF VIRGINIA and local ballroom dance professionals. Enjoy appetizers, a buffet dinner, a dessert bar, a midnight champagne toast, breakfast and leave with a "swag bag".

Portsmouth - Dec 31 - Olde Towne Scottish Walk - Modeled after Scotland's Hogmanay Festival, a day when townspeople honor their community and merchants and offer blessings for prosperity in the coming year. The Olde Towne Scottish Walk is a procession led by pipe-and-drum bands. Enjoy walking, pipe music, caroling and mini-concerts at Olde Towne restaurants and pubs. Pipe bands are welcome to join. Come wear your warmest woolens and plaids and join in the fun.

Virginia Beach - Dec 31 - New Year's Dinner at Swan Terrace - Dinner, dancing and toasting, OH MY! Enjoy a three-course menu or opt for the five-course menu, dancing, live entertainment, balloon drop, and champagne toast. Reservations required. Rates vary between the three-course and the five-course.

Virginia Beach - Dec 31 - Noon Year's Eve Celebration - Children and adults can join Radio Disney for a Noon Year’s Eve Celebration, Thursday, December 31, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for games, activities and sparkling non-alcoholic beverages in the Aquarium’s Promenade Room. Free with Aquarium admission.

Williamsburg - Dec 31 - First Night Williamsburg - A family-oriented, non-alcoholic New Year's Eve celebration of the performing arts presented in a number of sites within walking distance of Merchants Square in historic Williamsburg.

Central Virginia

Afton - Dec 31 - Masked Ball at Veritas Vineyards & Winery - Enjoy Veritas wine and hors d’oeuvres. Then on to a winemaker’s dinner in Saddleback Hall. There will be dancing until midnight, when the masks come off and the Champagne flows. Breakfast follows at 12:30 a.m.!

Orange - Dec 31 - Music on Main Street - In keeping with the very popular idea of alcohol-free New Year celebrations for the whole family, Celebrate Orange brings you "Music on Main Street." This will be the fourth year for this event of music, food, fireworks, and games.

Richmond - Dec 31 - New Year's Eve Family Frolic at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden - Family activities in the afternoon with live entertainment and crafts. (Visitors can stay and enjoy GardenFest of Lights in the evening from 5 – 10 p.m.)

Southern Virginia

Clarksville - New Year's Eve Celebration at Cooper's Landing Inn - Ring in the New Year with a special celebration at Cooper’s Landing Inn & Traveler’s Tavern. There will be two seating's: 5pm & 9pm. Each seating will consist of a passed hors d'oeuvre reception accompanied by music and a roaring fire in the tavern & a three course Surf-n-Turf dinner. Of course the evening will include a champagne toast, candlelight, and all the special touches like New Years Eve favors.

Blue Ridge Highlands

Independence - Dec 31 - New Year's Eve at the Davis-Bourne Inn - Start the night with an appetizer sampler, then choose your entree with salad, sides, dessert, coffee or tea for just $69/couple. Stay for entertainment, hors d'oeuvres, a champagne toast and party favors for an additional $20/couple. Or, skip dinner and come for the party for just $29/couple! Reservations required.

Travel Package

Blacksburg - Dec 30-Jan 1 - Maison Beliveau - Three night package includes a spacious bedroom and three-course gourmet breakfast each day along with the following activities:

• 12/30: Cocktails and Hearty Hors D'oeuvres
• 12/31: Blind Wine Tasting and Chocolate Social * New Year's Eve Dinner and Party
• 1/1: R&R Day * Billiards Tournament * Cocktail Hour and Dinner
• $799/couple + tax

Rocky Mount - Dec 31 - Claiborne House Historic Bed and Breakfast - Two nights * Sparkling cider and fresh flowers * $50 certificate to Red Clay Restaurant * Brunch * Extended check-out time * From $355/couple

Northern Virginia

Alexandria - Dec 31 - First Night Alexandria - New Year’s Eve celebration with music, dance, performing arts for all ages throughout Old Town and Del Ray. All performances indoors except finale & fireworks at midnight. (Venues are alcohol-free.)

Falls Church - Dec 31 - Watch Night, The City of Falls Church's Celebration of New Year's Eve - Celebrate New Year's in the City! Looking for a fun, family friendly way to celebrate the New Year? Think about being in Falls Church with lots of attractions, musical performances of all types and genres, karaoke, working artists, singers and choral performances, fun games and activities for the kids, magic shows and lots more all in the Historic City of Falls Church, Virginia and IT'S FREE!

Fredericksburg - Dec 31 - First Nigh Fredericksburg - A non-alcoholic, family-oriented celebration of the New Year in Old Town Fredericksburg. More than 20 venues with several visual and performing arts including music, dance, comedy, children's activities, and more.

Leesburg - Dec 31 - First Night Leesburg - First Night Leesburg will host over 100 wonderful performances at 20 indoor locations in downtown Leesburg. Enjoy jazz, classical music, puppet shows, bluegrass, folk music, rock & roll, magicians and much more! First Night concludes at midnight with a traditional Grand Illumination gathering on the courthouse green.

Stafford - Dec 31 - New Year's Eve All Night Skate - Looking for a fun way to roll in the new year? Come to Cavalier for their all night skate! DJ's will play the hottest tunes and help count down to the midnight balloon drop. Refreshments will be available for sale. Prizes will be given away throughout the evening. Don't miss it! Children must be accompanied by adults. Please call for admission rates.

Warrenton - Dec 31 - First Night Warrenton - Family-oriented, alcohol-free celebration of the arts. In churches, business lobbies & public buildings as well as on Main Street, find a full evening of music, drama, puppet shows, storytelling and more entertainment. The celebration concludes with a candlelight gathering at the courthouse steps to sing in the new year.

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