First Night

We like that this city really knows how to throw a party. Tonight was First Night and there were all sorts of stuff to discover. There were chimes to ring.


A very old fire truck. You can't see James' feet, but he has fire trucks on the bottom.


Under the 1st Street bridge was a presentation of 15 Minute Hamlet. The kids loved how silly the actors were.



There were also a pair of musical Tessla coils (yes, those Tessla coils) playing Christmas carols.


Auditorium Shores features art installations. Elena and Joseph ran around inside a bamboo tunnel-thing, while I staked out a spot near the clock tower.


People had the chance to write a resolution, wish, or whatever on scraps of wood and paper which were then put into the clock tower.


Then we burned it down. Something about the fire lifting our resolutions to the skies and the passage of time. I have to say that seeing a tower of flame with a clock face in silhouette and the hands spinning madly was moving, but I can't quite decide if it was profound. The heat was fantastic for warming up our chilled ears and noses, though, and we saw tons of spark-filled dust devils. It was very cool.


On the way back to the bus stop, we paused to listen to the Biscuit Brothers.


Happy New Year! I hope it's a good one.