Our Policies

Over many years of experience, First Night Chatham has developed these policies 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.
   • Persons working as a venue volunteer do not need to have a First Night Chatham button for that performance/activity, because they are helping First Night Chatham run smoothly. And some volunteer assignments are not even inside the performance room.
   • Volunteers do need a FNC button to attend any other 'button-required' performances/activities, other than the one(s) they volunteer at.
2. To avoid overcrowding, we limit button sales. As we added venues in the early years of First Night Chatham, we increased the number of buttons sold. In recent years we have continued to limit button sales to 6,000 adults and 1,500 children.
3. Whenever possible we try to use First Night Chatham 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. We 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 declined to accept this token payment. They considered their performance to be their gift to the community. But that was 35 years ago, and the Entertainment budget is now very substantial. 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.
6. All Sales Are Final.
7. There are no exchanges or refunds