First Night Chatham New Year Eve 2018-2019
First Night Chatham is a family-friendly, alcohol-free celebration of the Arts, with entertainment and activities for children and adults all day from noon until the midnight fireworks celebrated on New Years eve Monday December 31st. The theme for this is year First Night Goes Country. 
Adult buttons (age 12 and up) are $25.00
Children’s buttons (ages 3-11) are $5.00
Children 2 and under: Free
The First Night Chatham button is required for admission to almost all indoor events, as well as some outdoor activities. There are also many Button-Free activities.
There are many events grab your schedule here Events start at noon
Special Events
Bubble Wrap Stomp
A favorite activity of many parents, too! Watch the kids show joy as they break the bubbles and make lots of noise!
Community Center Aerobics Room at 1:00 to 3:00 PM (Button-free)
Carnival Caper
A costumed road race, from the Chatham Squire to the Lighthouse and back, sponsored by the Chatham Squire. Register outside the Squire starting at 2 pm ($10); Costume judging at 2:30 pm; the race starts at 3 pm (a bit under 2 miles round-trip). Tee shirts and beef stew served at the Squire after the race! Spectators line Main Street to cheer on the runners, walkers, and anyone else parading down the road in costume.
Outside the Squire at 2:00 to 3:30 PM (Button-free)
Children’s Art Studio
This event is always very popular, so find your way here as soon as possible. Children craft fascinating stuff, each in their own way. Projects are all child friendly and designed with great creativity.
Elementary School Cafeteria at 2:00 to 5:00 PM
Face Painting
What child does not enjoy having something fabulous painted on their face? Our painters are the best and the line moves really fast.
Monomoy Middle School Cafeteria at 12:30 to 4:00 PM
Early Fireworks at Veterans Field
Spectacular fireworks after the Noise Parade will be presented as a special treat for the young First Nighters. The show is at Veterans Field and viewing is from the parking lot and fields behind the Chatham Community Center.
Veterans Field at 6:30 PM (Button-free)
Midnight Fireworks & Countdown Cod at Oyster Pond
First Night Chatham counts down to the exact moment 2019 starts with the dropping of the Countdown Cod and a wonderful display of midnight fireworks! There are no bad seats for viewing the spectacular display over Oyster Pond – in fact, there are no seats at all, unless you watch from your car, or from your front porch. Join the crowd for a rousing finale to First Night that’s way more fun than being in Times Square!
Oyster Pond at Midnight (Button-free)
Horse-drawn Wagon Rides
Buttons are required to hop aboard a horses-drawn buggy with some other folks to enjoy an old fashioned perspective as you drive around town and wave to friends and strangers. Children love it, and we love seeing them enjoy the town!
Main St at Town Hall at 1:45 to 4:45 PM
Just For High School Teens: Canon Hill Band
The Canon Hill Band will perform this year at the Teen Center. Drop in to warm up, see friends, and enjoy free pizza and drinks, and listen to recent local high school graduates Ben Hayden on drums, guitarist/vocalists Logan Tichnor, and Noah Pelty with Gabe Duff on bass. They can frequently be seen busking on Main Streets of Chatham and Harwich in the summer, and they are the youngest band ever to be selected to play the Harwichport ‘Music Stroll’. As an added attraction, the group “Lefty Grove” will perform as an introductory band.
Community Center Lower Level at 7:00 to 11:00 PM (Button-free)
Just For Middle School Teens: Laser Tag
Hang out with friends from 7:00 to 10:00 at the Community Center. Returning this year: Laser Tag. Plus games, and free pizza and drinks.
Community Center 2nd Floor at 7:00 to 10:00 PM (Button-free)
Miniature Golf
This year we have a full 9 holes available for play at the Middle School Small Gym – 1 to 6 pm and a full 9 holes at the Community Center Gym – 1 to 6 pm. Who does not love mini golf, especially in December!
Monomoy Middle School Small Gym at 1:00 to 6:00 PM
Community Center Gym at 1:00 to 6:00 PM
New Year’s Eve Make Believe
Play a life-size game of Candy Land, and meet a real Princess Cinderella (from 2:30 to 5:30). Take your picture with her in the photo booth.
Play life-sized Candyland – you are the game piece as you move along the giant board following the rules of Candyland. Be the first to the castle as you pass through the Peppermint Forest, meet Queen Frostine and her ice cream sea, and try to avoid The Villain of Candy Land, Lord Licorice. Candy prizes for all courtesy of Chatham Candy Manor.
St. Christopher’s Parish Hall at 1:00 to 6:00 PM
Noise Parade
Join the raucous fray! Make noise any way you want.
A police escort leads the parade and no one will be cited for too much noise. Great fun for kids and adults, who often wear silly hats. Start at the corner of Cross and Main at 6 pm, walk to rotary, then continue on to the Chatham Community Center to see the early fireworks!
Town Hall Corner (Main & Cross Streets) at 6:00 PM (Button-free)
