From staff reports
Plans are moving ahead for the Oil City Arts Council’s annual First Night Oil City New Year’s Eve celebration.
The festivities to usher in 2024 are planned all across the city from 6 to 11 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. This year’s theme is “Back to the Future.”
The family-oriented, non-alcoholic event will offer an array of live entertainment at multiple venues on the North and South sides of town.
A shuttle bus will be available to transport people to and from both sides of town from 5:30 to 11:30 p.m.
Here is a rundown of various activities:
- Piano Maniacs Dueling Pianos will perform in Trinity United Methodist Church’s Trinity Room on the second floor of the church.
- The Echo Valley bluegrass band will perform in Trinity United Methodist Church’s sanctuary.
- Steve Bennett will appear in the Trinity United Methodist Church nursery, leading off his evening with a 30-minute magic act, followed by entertaining the audiences the remainder of the evening with his balloon art.
- The Butler Clowns will create balloon characters, do some face-painting and more in a Trinity United Methodist Church classroom.
- Community Playhouse Inc. will set up a themed booth for photo opportunities in the second-floor library of Trinity United Methodist Church.
- Singer-songwriter Samantha Sears will perform in the Great Room of the National Transit Building.
- Revelers can express themselves percussively as they participate in a drum circle with Kim Huegel and friends at the National Transit Building Annex.
- Revelers may also create self-made hats in the hallway on the first floor of the National Transit Building from 6 to 8 p.m.
- HOLeY JEANS will perform outdoors by the Christmas tree in Towne Square at about 5:45 p.m. on the North Side just prior to the Peoples Procession Parade.
- The Peoples Procession Parade will begin at 6 p.m. just behind 100 Seneca St. The route will lead to Justus Park near the bonfire.
- The Pine Valley Boys will perform at Calvary United Methodist Church.
- The Route 8 Band will entertain in the Oil City YWCA gymnasium.
- The band Moe Taters & the Gravy Train will perform in the Christ Episcopal Church social hall.
- Touch of Grey will also perform at Christ Episcopal Church in the church’s sanctuary.
Guests are advised to get an event brochure when they purchase their button.
The buttons and accompanying event brochure that provides times and locations of events are available for purchase at the Oil City Public Library, Gates and Burns Realty Inc., Transit Arts Gallery & Gifts, Venango Museum and the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce (weekdays until Friday).
In the evening during the First Night celebration, admission buttons will only be available for purchase at Trinity United Methodist Church on the North Side and Christ Episcopal Church on the South Side.
For further information, people can check out Facebook.com/FirstNightOilCity or visit oilcityartscouncil.org.
A special FirstNight SnapChat filter sponsored by HOLeY JEANS will be available during the event so participants can share pictures of their First Night experience with others.
People can use #firstnightoilcity2023 to help spread the word and share photos on social media posts.
