First Night Akron a celebration for the ages
DOWNTOWN AKRON — The first night of 2007 was welcomed warmly in Akron with a sprawling, family-friendly celebration.
Now in its 11th year, First Night Akron took place in and around Lock 3 Live! Park on a mild, albeit sometimes rainy, New Year’s Eve. First Night included a great many events — several of which took place indoors — ranging from ballroom dancing to an enchanted forest to make-and-take crafts, all culminating with fireworks at midnight (and a smaller fireworks show for the little ones at 9 p.m.)
Revelers of all ages took part in the festivities at sites stretching the length and breadth of downtown Akron’s entertainment district.
Teddy Babbitt, 4-1/2, of Green, pictured above, showed everyone at the Shoppes at Akron Centre it was time to celebrate the coming new year by having his face painted with a colorful “2007.”
First Night Akron again this year included “First Night Idol” — a talent competition for teenagers modeled after the TV show “American Idol.” Nine finalists performed for three judges and a large crowd at the John S. Knight Center.
Pictured below, Lisa Fisher, far right, reacts to being named the winner of First Night Idol. Fisher, of Firestone Park, is a student at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. Another local high-schooler, David Kim, a student at Copley High School, was a runner-up. He’s pictured at far left, with Kara Thompson, a student at Springfield High School, in the middle. She also was a runner-up.
According to First Night Akron Communications Director Sarah Steidl, this year’s First Night Akron attendance topped last year’s at more than 14,000. Final attendance figures weren’t available by press time, but “there were lots of people having lots of fun,” Steidl said. “It couldn’t have gone any better.”
For more First Night Akron photos,
see Page 13.
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By Stephanie Kist
Photos: Ken Crisafi
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