A
Brief History
by Marie Williams
First Night Chatham began with the idea that Chatham is the perfect town for a celebration of the Arts on New Year's Eve --we are a beautiful seaside village with churches, schools, a library, Town Hall, and other indoor and outdoor spaces all within easy walking distance.Chatham and Cape Cod are bursting with talented artists and performers of all sizes and shape!
In January, 1991, Marie Williams went to see
Marge Long, manager of the Puritan store, to see if Marge thought this
was a good idea. Marge recognized the merits of First Night immediately
and the two then decided to test the waters further. A meeting with Police
Chief Barry Eldredge followed, and then conferences with the Fire Chief,
the Board of Selectmen and the Town Manager, Jim Lindstrom. A meeting
of those who might be interested in serving on a committee to bring First
Night to Chatham was held at Marie Williams' home on January 31, 1991.
Larry Hamilton contacted Marie Williams and volunteered to serve as Treasurer
for First Night Chatham, an important role which he held from 1991 until
2001. Larry continues to serve on the First Night committee, acting as
Social Chairman and spearheading the Nominating Sub-committee.
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Marie Williams
Marge Long Larry Hamilton Carolyn Hamilton Nancy Whalen Carol Harpoole Toby Merk Mary Bogess Margy Burroughs Larry Williams Joan Cornier Geoge French Bud Upson Tom Gallen Joan Aucoin Jean Paul Aucoin George French George Keith Ann Anthony Irv Wellings Letti Sullivan Peter Mason Bob Long Barbara Garside Barbara Keith Ellen Yorke Priscilla Weinstein Nancy Erskine Ruth Bray Colette Clarke Phyllis Haskell Lisa Trainer |
Mary Parsons |
After a second meeting, a few months of preparation, and assurance that there wassupport for a community-wide celebration on New Year's Eve, Marie Williams and Marge Long took their show on the road, sharing the idea with the Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club, Chatham Rotary Club, and other organizations. The committee quickly recognized the need for seed money and willing members threw some money in the pot to help the project get started. By April of 1991, we had $685 in donations from committee members, businesses and others. In March, 1991, a donation of $500 was made by Marcia Kennedy to cover the cost of applying to Boston for a license to operate as an official First Night. Chatham received its acceptance letter from Boston on March 8, 1991.
The next meeting was on March 27 and new members continued to join the group. A design was needed for a button. Gailyn Gates was asked to take on that challenge. She created a delightful design which incorporated patriotic colors in a beachball-like swirl. Buttons were ordered, T-shirts were created, and the project was off and running.
Letti Sullivan and Marie Williams took on the task of rounding up artists and performers for the event; Marge Long assumed the role of volunteer coordinatorand was also in charge of the weather! Letters were written and phone calls were made and the schedule of events began to take shape. George Keith agreed to coordinate button sales, which he did from a card table in the Puritan store during the last days of December!
To spread the word, the committee participated in the Chatham Chamber's float in the Fourth of July Parade and entered a car with signs in the Cranberry Harvest Festival Parade. On Labor Day, a group of faithfuls hung a large sign from one of the bridges crossing Route 6 in Dennis inviting our summer visitors to return for First Night Chatham. To raise a little more money, the committee held a Casino Night at the VFW in the fall.
With the cooperation and participation of many,
our first First Night Chatham went off without a hitch! We had ordered
2,400 buttons . . . which sold out on December 28 . . . so we began printing
pink "tickets." In the end, we sold an additional 1,500 tickets bringing
our total button sales to 3,900. Needless to say, we were delighted. Mother
Nature cooperated, the fireworks were spectacular, everyone had a good
time, and by January 1, we were planning for 1992!
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First button 1991-92
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1993-94
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1995-96
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First
Night Buttons
After the first year,the committee decided to do a series of buttons based on Chatham landmarks and important features which would take us to the Millennium. With this in mind, we did the following buttons: a wave, the lighthouse, a fishing boat , the bandstand, the library, the railroad station, and the Chase Park windmill. The button for the Millennium was shaped differently--a rectangle-- and we also made a metal version which people still wear as pins. It was the Chatham skyline. Since then there have been other buttons with Chatham landmarks . . . |
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Along the way, we have made several decisions which guide much of what we do and how we do it.
| 1. | Everyone buys a button - there are no give-aways. We have no special packages for sponsors. Even the committee members purchase their own buttons. This has greatly simplified our accounting procedures and estimates of crowds. |
| 2. | To avoid overcrowding, we decided to limit button sales. As we added venues, we have increased the number of buttons sold, but we continue to limit button sales to 6,000 adults and 1,500 children. |
| 3. | Whenever possible we try to use First Night as an opportunity for young artists to perform. And we have tried to maintain a balance between local artists and entertainers and those from afar. |
| 4. | To the extent possible, we try to pay our entertainers for their talents. In the first few years, many of the entertainers agreed to perform for a very small stipend ($25) and several have declined to accept this token payment. They consider their performance to be their gift to the community. But we continue to want to reward our artists and entertainers for their talents and for what they do to make our world brighter and more interesting. |
| 5. | We strive to have a variety of entertainment for families and people of all ages. |
Many individuals and organizations have been important to the success of First Night Chatham. It is impossible to even begin to name them, but a review of our programs can provide a glimpse into how many people are involved in this event. We appreciate the constant support of so many and hope that First Night Chatham can continue to be an important event for the town.
First Nights everywhere have provided a new way to celebrate the passage of time - with friends and family - and with new art-oriented experiences. There is entertainment to appeal to all ages and all interests; many who now volunteer have said that it gives them an opportunity to socialize and meet with friends and give back to the community. First Night offers a new way for singles to join in the fun without being alone on New Year's Eve. Volunteers help with food service in our churches and man the doors at our schools, or help the Boy Scouts sell popcorn. Whatever the task, all are enjoying being part of a community-wide celebration of the arts.
