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Art Beat

Be The First On Your Block

By Christina Waters

For the second year in a row, downtown Santa Cruz joins progressive communities around the globe celebrating the New Year with what amounts to a multimedia block party. First Night Santa Cruz is a community-oriented, nonstop smorgasbord of arts events from 2pm all the way to the midnight countdown at the Town Clock.

Asked dancer/organizer Sara Wilbourne, "What's different about First Night this year? Well," she mused, "last year it was big. This year it's huge."

Clowns, puppeteers, magicians and musicians will rove the streets by the scores, and scheduled performances range from eye-popping visual arts installations to a kaleidoscope of dancing. The latter will practically spring from the sidewalks along Pacific Avenue, starting with Morris dancers at 3pm, followed by square dancers, folk dancers and hip-hop dancers at 9:30pm.

Once again, this downtown New Year's Eve party is absolutely, positively alcohol-free. Lots and lots of First Night events--like Cabrillo Chorus performances at Holy Cross Church, Dobson Family jazz at Kuumbwa, Tom Noddy's fab bubble show at Palookaville and Del Rey's blues at the Del Mar Theater--happen in special performances spaces. So the deal is to buy a First Night Button--$6 through Dec. 25, $9 up to Dec. 31--at more than 35 sites all over the county (including all Safeways), which will get you in to those performances. You can purchase one during the event at the booths on Pacific Avenue, too.

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