First Night St. Pete to return this year

The details are still being worked out, but First Night St. Pete – the 30^th edition of the city’s long-running New Year’s Eve celebration for families – will return Dec. 31.

The 2022 event was canceled for several reasons, including low funding, a scarcity of volunteers and blowback from the low attendance numbers of the pandemic years.

The Tampa Bay Rays organization has signed on as the presenting sponsor.

Trimmed from eight hours to a more manageable four, First Night 2023 will now take place entirely in North Straub Park, from 4 to 8 p.m. (there are no indoor venues this time around).

This, according to First Night board president Hal Freedman, will allow attendees who want to keep the party going (First Night is alcohol-free) to move on to the expected late-night celebration on the St. Pete Pier.

For the first time, explained Freedman, admission to First Night will be free. The “collector’s buttons,” crafted by local artisans each year and used to purchase admission to the myriad art, dance, music and children’s events, will be made available as souvenirs only, for a donation.

The City of St. Petersburg, which has traditionally contributed to the event budget, has not yet confirmed its participation. “We still have a gap in our funding,” Freedman said, “and we’re hoping the City will find money in their budget to do what they’ve done in the past.”