Mission:
To bring the community together with an accessible, substance-free New Year's Eve celebration centered on the arts.

History:
First Night is a substance-free New Year's Eve festival of the arts. It began in Boston in 1976 and is now held in over 130 cities throughout the world.

Burlington was the fifth  city in the world to embrace the First Night concept. First Night Burlington is Vermont's largest, single-day arts festival, providing an accessible and affordable New Year's Eve celebration to thousands of people in our community. First Night was launched in 1983, and featured 50 acts in 14 venues throughout Burlington.  Our 2012 celebration will feature over 110 performances and activities at 20 venues.  We provide arts events for audiences of all ages - from children and families to teens and adults.

First Night Burlington, Inc. is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, staffed by an Executive Director, two support staff, and an eleven member board. A good percentage of our funding comes from our sponsors, tax-deductible donations, and grants. We encourage folks to participate in the festival in a variety of ways, from volunteering and creating art to making individual donations. Contributions above the button cost are tax-deductible, and we are happy to provide a receipt for your tax records upon request.