Description:

This year marks the 3rd Annual First Night Sandwich and, as this wraps up a year-long celebration of the 375th Anniversary of the founding of Sandwich, it will be an exciting event.

First Night Sandwich is a multicultural, family event. It is alcohol free but there will be an abundance of delicious foods and beverages for revelers to enjoy. Held on December 31st, the event heralds the beginning of the New Year.

At 4:00 pm, in the center of the historic village, the festivities will begin. Musical, dance, and spoken word performances and events will take place at small venues along Main Street, Water Street, and Jarves Street.

Celebrants will enjoy a wide variety of musical performances including jazz bands, folk groups, bell ringers, acoustic guitar, Irish music, bagpipers, blues, soul, and much more. Some of the dance performances include ballet and ballroom. Among the events for children will be arts and crafts events and storytelling. The spoken word events will include a portrayal of Thornton Burgess that the whole family will enjoy.

The “Light Up the Town” parade is scheduled to begin at 6:00 pm. It will begin at the Henry T. Wing school and proceed down Beale Street to Main Street. There, it will turn left and proceed down Main Street to Town Hall. It will feature children wearing the masks they made at an earlier crafts event, adults wearing a favorite mask or costume to celebrate the season, and lots of lights. Anyone is welcome to join the parade.

The final countdown to ring in the New Year begins at 9:00 pm. First Night Sandwich will culminate with the welcoming of 2015 by the lighting of the Cape Cod Tower at the historic Dexter Grist Mill on Shawme Pond. The tower was designed and built by artist Michael Magyar, one of Sandwich’s master glassblowers. The tower features light sculptures of sea creatures of Cape cod. It starts lighting at the bottom and as the lights flicker up the tower to the top, the bright colors of the lights are reflected on the water of Shawme Pond to the oohs and ahhs of spectators and the singing of “Auld Lang Syne”.

Admission to all indoor events requires the purchase of a button. Children under 3 years of age are free. For ages 3 to 12 buttons are $6 each and for those over 12 the buttons are $10 each. Buttons may be purchased prior to First Night at a number of businesses throughout Sandwich and can also be purchased online from the website.

All outdoor events are free and will include the parade, all exhibits, ice sculpting, jugglers, mimes, and street performances. Food and beverages will be available for purchase at various points throughout the village. For a complete schedule of events, locations to purchase buttons, and video of events past, visit the First Night Sandwich website.