Day of First Nights

Some Video from a family-friendly afternoon at Holyoke's First Night, Jr. festivities at Heritage Park:

A feature of the park is the classic, transplanted old Mountain Park Merry Go Round; now safely housed in it's own big round building and still delighting big and small kids alike.



Nearby, we let the little one expend some energy at the Childrens Museum before heading back outside to the park grounds for the drop of the New Years Ball; a jubilant crowd and outgoing and incoming mayors in attendance.



When all of this afternoon fare was done there was still time for a run to Northampton, where their own First Night celebrations have begun to garner some serious popularity among the valley folk. It was shoulder to shoulder on every sidewalk, shop and venue. The view from Thornes entrance:



We made it up in time for a look at the early evening fireworks; positioning ourselves among a burgeoning throng of spectators in front of the Faces block. But the initial fireworks turned out to be partially obstructed by the Thornes building across the street. A mass exodus to the rear of that block and closer to the launch area ensued.

We decided a half display was good enough for us, and maintained our position on the sidewalk with a few other contented folk. Luckily enough, the rockets gained a little altitude as the show went on: