NEW: Taveras Hosts Bright Night Preview at Providence City Hall

Bright Night Providence announced plans for its New Year's Eve festival today in the Alderman Chamber of City Hall, with the help of Mayor Angel Taveras and some larger-than-life characters. This year will mark the celebration's 10th anniversary as a family-friendly alternative to other often-raucous New Year's Eve bashes. Bright Night will feature over 100 performers at 13 venues across Downtown Providence throughout the day and night.

Bright Night

Founded in 2003, Bright Night is an artist-run, artist-oriented New Year's Eve celebration that carries on the tradition of First Night Providence following its cancellation after 18 years in operation. The festival features the best activities, performances, and exhibits for families that want to end the year with a bang. "There will be a ton of kids' activities and events that will be taking place in the Providence Library, the Providence Children's Museum, and the Rhode Island Convention Center, as well as a number of our other venues," said Festival Director Alexandra Kreher.

Mayor Taveras shared how much he is looking forward to the event. "New Year's is what makes Providence and Rhode Island special. We bring together people from all walks of life to celebrate the ending of a year and the beginning of the new year. I'm excited about having this opportunity to celebrate with you, to enjoy the rest of the year, and to celebrate all the wonderful things that we have." The mayor looked even more excited as he watched Big Nazo, Captain Crispin's Indoor Flight School (complete with portable hot air balloon), Banished Fools, and Burr Harrison Storytelling give a sneak peek of what to expect on the big day.

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After the display today at City Hall, what is he looking forward to the most? "The storytelling was pretty interesting and the flight school demonstrations with the air were pretty exciting, so I thought that was really good. Anytime we celebrate a special anniversary like the 10th year, we find ways to make it different. It's a great way to ring in 2013."

Got Talent?

Bright Night will also see a performance by the winner of its 2nd Annual "Bright Night's Got Talent" Competition, which will be held on December 15 and 16. The competition is open to all Rhode Islanders aged 6-19 who would like to showcase their special talents such as singing, dancing, poetry, magic, acting, and more. Finalists will win a 10-minute performance at Bright Night Providence. Click here to register for an audition.

Need for volunteers

The event is looking for 100-150 volunteers to help put on its 12-hour event and welcomes any and all individuals interesting in volunteering their time to help make this festival a success. In return for a 4-hour shift between noon and midnight on New Year's Eve, each volunteer will receive a free VIP bracelet to attend all of the Bright Night performances before and after their shifts. Potential volunteers should contact Bright Night Volunteer Coordinator Kellie Donovan, who can be reached via email at [email protected] or via phone at 401-787-1432.

Adult tickets for Bright Night Providence are $15 in advance and $20 on the day of the festival. Children's tickets are $10 anytime. Tickets can be purchased here, at BankRI Branches, or at East Side Marketplace in Providence.