Welcome to our 15th annual celebration of the arts, let's take a peek at all entertainment you'll be able to find at 17 different places on New Year's Eve.

If you've been with us before you'll find many of your perennial First Night favorites. We're also bringing back several artists who have had some "time off".

But, as always, we'd like to introduce you to some new talent. Making their St. Johnsbury debuts are the powerful folk rock duo Avi and Celia and soulful singer songwriters soloists Josh Huntsberry and a guy known simply as Masceo. On the jazz scene we've finally booked Barry Sahagian's popular Catamount Jazz Ensemble with two of his favorite "Young Jazz Lions," and, from Boston, phenomenal jazz pianist Ben Schwendener with his trio. And if you like your music a little more country, rockabilly fans will enjoy Mike Fortier and his Burke Mountain Bandits. We're also introducing some good new amateur entertainment by high school duo Point of View (and they have one) and a folk combo who way too modestly call themselves Not the Best.

What's in it for the kids? More than ever! Kids of all ages-toddlers to teens to senior kids-will want to catch a performance of the High Voltage Street Breakz Show. We've got Prof. Marvel and his amazing magic, the enchanting No Strings Marionette Company, delightful songs by Stephen Richard Lindholm, silly circus stuff from the King of Silly, and more sensational circus stuff from Ted Lawrence's Mini-Circus, and an old-time cartoon show with live organ music. All these performers will have youngsters wiggling in their seats. And if they just can't sit still, head over to the Family Fun Fare for lots of lively hands-on (and feet-on!) entertainment. And kids and teens and adults will want to stay up to see Marko the master magician and hypnotist re-appear this year to confound and astound and amuse.

We hope that you will join us for First Night Saint Johnsbury 2008, and let me be among the first of many First Nighters to wish you a Happy New Year!

Jay Sprout
Director
First Night Saintjohnsbury