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Bright Night Providence to Produce
its Sixth New Year’s Eve Celebration

Providence, RI, 12/23/08

Bright Night Providence, Rhode Island’s Largest New Year’s Festival, will produce its sixth New Year’s Eve Celebration. The event will feature a daredevil thrill show, a basketball game, a laser show, children’s activities, and over 160 performers in 22 venues throughout downtown Providence.

New Year’s Eve Will Be Bright in Providence.

Bright Night Providence, the artist-run New Year’s celebration now in its sixth year, will continue its tradition of ringing in the New Year. This year the festival will feature expanded children’s activities, more great local artists, and a free laser show in Kennedy Plaza to start the New Year with a spectacular display of lights.

Bright Night, led by local performer and festival director Adam Gertsacov, has a number of events planned for this year. The day will start with children’s events at a number of local venues, including the RISD Museum, the Providence Children’s Museum, Mathewson Street Church, Beneficent Church, and several other venues.

After official opening ceremonies at the Bank of America Skating Rink, a number of venues around downtown will host over one hundred performers, including singers, dancers, musicians, puppeteers, storytellers, and magicians.

The evening will be headlined by the Nerveless Nocks Daredevil Thrill Show, featuring the Nock family, a ninth generation circus family that will perform acts of courage and derring-do.

The evening will culminate with a midnight laser show in Kennedy Plaza that will count down the New Year.

“This is our sixth year,” said Gertsacov. “Each year, the event gets a little bigger and a little brighter. Despite the economy, this year may be our best yet. We’ve had to be a little bit more creative, but fortunately, that’s our strength. Rhode Island’s artist community is an amazing wealth of talent and resilience. We’ve also had strong support from our sponsors, including the City of Providence, David N. Cicilline, Mayor, the Providence Tourism Council, and the State of Rhode Island. “

Tickets to Bright Night are $10 in advance, $15 on the day of event (on the day of event, a family fourpack for $50 will also be available) Tickets are on sale online at https://www.brightnight.org, via telephone and internet from ArtTixRI, and available at all BankRI locations, all OOP! locations, and the East Side Marketplace.

For more information about Bright Night, visit https://www.brightnight.org or call 401-621-6123.

Sponsors and donors should contact Gertsacov directly via the website: https://www.brightnight.org

About Bright Night Providence

Bright Night was founded in 2003 after Providence’s long-running New Year’s Eve festival, First Night, was cancelled. Organized in less than three months, the event drew over 12,000 people to downtown Providence, making Bright Night the largest New Year’s Eve party in the state. The festival features local artists and performers at venues throughout downtown Providence, and provides a fun, vibrant, and family friendly atmosphere for the people of Rhode Island.

The festival’s director, Adam Gertsacov, is an actor, director, and clown. He wears many hats, including that of a flea circus impresario, a local author, the esteemed hat of the Clown Laureate of Greenbelt, Maryland, and many others. He became the Festival director of Bright Night Providence in 2003 when a group of local artists (himself included) didn’t want to see the city go dark on New Year’s Eve.

Other members of the artist group include Erminio Pinque, Josh Bell, Chris Turner, Rachel Maloney, Marvin Novogrodski, Al Gomes, Carolyn Martino, Val Tutson, Deb Meunier, Tom Sgouros, and Mark Binder.

BRIGHT NIGHT PROVIDENCE ADDS HOOPS TO FESTIVITIES.

BRIGHT NIGHT WILL THRILL AND CHILL
The Nerveless Nocks, a world renowned daredevil troupe, will headline the sixth year of Bright Night Providence

PROVIDENCE, RI., 11/30/08
This year Bright Night Providence, the artist-run New Year’s Eve Festival now in its sixth year, will really start the new year with a thrill. That’s because The Nerveless Nocks, a family of daredevil circus performers, will be the featured performers in what is known as Rhode Island’s Largest New Year’s Eve Celebration.

The Nocks have a storied past: they are a ninth generation family of circus performers, starting back as early as 1840 in Switzerland. Today’s troupe is run by Michelangelo Nock, whose father arrived from Switzerland in 1954 to star in the Greatest Show on Earth. The family has performed throughout the world for kings and queens, at gigantic festivals (including a number of Superbowl and television events) and as the featured act on most of the great circuses of the world. It was Queen Elizabeth who dubbed them the “Nerveless” Nocks.

The shows for Bright Night will feature Michelangelo Nock, who has been dubbed the world’s greatest circus stuntman. Some of the acts featured in the show will be the Wheel of Destiny, in which the Nocks perform leaps, somersaults, handstands on a moving aerial pendulum; and the Tower of Chairs, where Michelangelo will climb a 20 foot tall tower made of chairs and do breath-taking handstands while completely unsupported from the ceiling.

“This is going to be a fantastic show,” says Adam Gertsacov, festival director of Bright Night. “The Nocks are absolute circus royalty. They’ve performed for kings and queens, on television and for the Superbowl. They are one of the premier acts in the business. And their courage and skill is breath-taking. I think this will be one of the best shows we’ve ever produced!”

“We’re really excited to be performing back in Rhode Island,” said Michelangelo Nock. “We grew up here. Our family used to do the sway pole act at Rocky Point during the summer for many years. We all have such fond memories of the area. And the Bright Night event- it’s incredible, that the artists and performers have made this all possible. We love it! We’re pleased to be a part of it.”

The Nerveless Nocks Daredevil Thrill Show will perform three shows in Providence as part of Bright Night. Their shows will be performed at 6, 8, and 10 pm at the RI Convention Center. Your Bright Night ticket (a Tyvek wristband) will guarantee you admission to one of those three performances, plus more than 50 other performances at 17 other venues throughout the day (on a space available basis).

Some of the other artists on the Bright Night bill include local legends Big Nazo Puppets, Celtic group Pendragon, bebop great Greg Abate, Grammy winner storyteller/singer Bill Harley, a blues swing/dance party featuring the Black and White Blues Band and the Superchief Trio, dance group Carolyn Dutra Dancers, a special Bright Night Poetry Slam, and a host of other artists and events. A full schedule will be available in early December on the Bright Night website, https://www.brightnight.org.

Tickets and complete schedules to Bright Night will be available in early December online at www.ArtTixRI.com, and available in person at all BankRI locations. all OOP! stores, and at the EastSide Marketplace starting December 6.

For more information about tickets call 401-621-6123 or visit https://www.brightnight.org

Tickets are $10 each if purchased in advance, $15 on the day of event. Family fourpacks for $50 will also be available. There are a limited amount of tickets, so purchase early to avoid getting closed out.

To find out more about Bright Night Providence, visit http://www.www.brightnight.org

To find out more about The Nerveless Nocks, visit http://www.nervelessnocks.com
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PLEASE POST, CIRCULATE, OR DISTRIBUTE
KILL DATE 12/31/2007
PRESS CONTACT: ADAM GERTSACOV 401-351-2596 adam@brightnight.org

PROVIDENCE BRIGHT AGAIN FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE
Mayor David N. Cicilline and Bright Night Providence Festival Director Adam Gertsacov announce Bright Night Providence, the artist-run New Year’s Eve celebration now in its fifth year.

PROVIDENCE, RI.,December 21,2007 – Bright Night Providence, the artist-run New Year’s celebration now in its fifth year, will continue to keep New Year ‘s Eve bright in Providence. This year the arts festival will feature performances from 12 noon to 12 midnight, including a Kid’s Fun Fair at the Providence Convention Center, a swing dance party (also at the Convention Center), the high energy drum and dance spectacular SLAMM at the Providence Performing Arts Center, admission to a PC Friars game at the Dunk for the first 3000 ticket-holders, and over 150 performers at venues around the city, and two spectacular display of fireworks sponsored by the Providence Tourism Council to start the New Year with a bang.

I’m very excited about this year,” says Adam Gertsacov, director of the festival, “Each year our festival has been able to grow a little more, and offer even more to our audiences. We’re now in our fifth year, and I’m amazed at how quickly its gone by, and how much fun its been. Each year we get to entertain, astonish, and celebrate with our audiences, and to showcase a little more of Rhode Island’s most important cultural asset- its artists.”

“Bright Night Providence is truly an exciting, fun-filled New Year’s Eve celebration that brings premier performances to our city and showcases the tremendous talent of the artists and performers who live and work in our city,” said Mayor Cicilline. The artist-run celebration has a number of sponsors and partners, including the Providence Tourism Council, the City of Providence, the Providence Foundation, the State of Rhode Island, Open MRI of New England, AAA, Cameron & Mittleman, the Providence Renaissance Hotel, Motif Magazine, the PC Friars, Lamar Outdoor Advertising, NBC-10, Coast 93.3, and others.

Activities this year will include performances by Carmine Appice’s SLAMM!, a high energy drum and dance spectacular in which rock icon Appice (drummer for Vanilla Fudge, Rod Stewart, & Jeff Beck) and his handpicked crew will drum on just about anything they can get their hands on, including garbage cans, dixie cups, oil drums, and even drums : a special kids event from 1-5 pm at the RI Convention Center, featuring Bill Harley, Keith Munslow, Marvin Novogrodski, and Val Tutson; the twenty fifth anniversary of Pendragon, the local Celtic group, the 20th anniversary of Big Nazo Puppets, and performances by Greg Abate, classical pianist Cecile Grobe, the Bright Night Poetry Slam, bellydance troupe Scherezade’s Sisters, the Ocean State Children’s Chorus, The Trinity Zoo, the Rhode Island Children’s Chorus, Improv Jones, Womanspiritrising, Fusionworks Dance Company, the Chinese Folk Art Society, Carolyn Dutra Dancers, the Gnomes, Trouz Bras, Inca Son, Fishel Bresler, juggler Greg Frisbee, storyteller Jackson Gillman, magician Peter Gross, Mark Binder & the Wippets, Black and White Blues band, and scores of other performers. Performances will run from 12 noon to 12 midnight at a number of venues throughout downtown Providence. A complete schedule is available online at their website https://www.brightnight.org, as well as at every venue on the day of the performance

Tickets to Bright Night are $10 in advance, $15 day of the event, and available online at https://www.brightnight.org, over the phone at 401-621-6123 (ArtTixRI), and available at all BankRI locations, OOP! stores, and the East Side Marketplace. Day of event tickets will be also sold at Providence Performing Arts Center, ArtTixRI Office, RI Convention Center, the Providence Children’s Museum, and several other venues.

About Bright Night

Bright Night was founded in 2003 after Providence’s long-running New Year’s Eve festival, First Night, was cancelled. Organized in less than three months, the event drew over 12,000 people to downtown Providence, making Bright Night the largest New Year’s Eve party in the state. The festival features local artists and performers at venues throughout downtown Providence, and provides a fun, vibrant, and family friendly atmosphere for the people of Rhode Island. It has since grown— last year’s festival drew over 20,000 people to downtown Providence.

The festival’s director, Adam Gertsacov, is an actor, director, and clown. He wears many hats, including that of a flea circus impresario, a published author, the esteemed hat of the Clown Laureate of Greenbelt, Maryland, and many others. He became the Festival director of Bright Night Providence in 2003 when a group of local artists (himself included) didn’t want to see the city go dark on New Year’s Eve.

The festival is sponsored in part by the City of Providence and the State of Rhode Island, as well as a number of corporate and individual donors.

For more information about sponsorship, history, and activities, please visit the website https://www.brightnight.org
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Renaissance Providence Hotel is Official Partner of Providence Bright Night

The Renaissance Providence Hotel, the new official partner of Bright Night Providence, is offering two special packages aimed to attract revelers to the city and to bring an elegant and sophisticated element to the 2008 New Year’s celebration.

Providence, RI (PRWEB) December 21, 2007 — The Renaissance Providence Hotel, the new official partner of Bright Night Providence, is offering two special packages aimed to attract revelers to the city and to bring an elegant and sophisticated element to the 2008 New Year’s celebration.

The couple’s Bright Night package is just $259 and includes accommodations in one of the Renaissance Providence Hotel’s elegantly appointed rooms with a king or two queen beds; two wristbands to gain admittance to all Bright Night events; a complimentary bottle of fine champagne, and a New Year’s Day breakfast buffet for two served in the hotel’s exquisite ballroom. The family package is $289 and includes all of the above amenities plus Bright Night wristbands and breakfast buffet for four.

Guests who take advantage of the Bright Night New England vacation packages at the Renaissance Providence Hotel can linger a little longer over complimentary Starbucks coffee and Tazo teas on New Year’s Day, as check out will be extended to 2 pm.

Renaissance Providence Hotel is proud to extend its commitment to the arts of Providence by being the official partner of Bright Night Providence 2008, an artist-run, arts-oriented New Year’s Eve Celebration that features over 150 performers in over 22 downtown venues, along with expanded kid’s activities, fireworks, and opening ceremonies at the Fleet Skating Center. More than 20,000 revelers enjoyed last year’s family-friendly festivities.

“We have envisioned the Renaissance Providence luxury hotel as inspiring everyone who enters it, revealing the soul of the artist who lives in each and every one of us,” said Angelo De Peri, General Manager of Renaissance Providence Hotel. “This partnership with Bright Night Providence is an expression of that commitment to the creative arts and the life of this city.”

“We’re excited to partner with the Renaissance Providence Hotel,” said Adam Gertsacov, festival director of Bright Night Providence. “We feel that there is a strong connection between our two missions, which makes this a win/win for everyone, including the citizens of Providence.”

Bright Night Providence is Rhode Island’s largest New Year’s Eve Celebration. Started by Providence artists in 2003 when First Night Providence couldn’t continue, Bright Night has become an artist-run family friendly festival that celebrates Rhode Island’s most important cultural asset: its artists. This year’s fifth annual festival features over 150 performers in 22 venues throughout the city, including some of Rhode Island’s best actors, dancers, singers, magicians, musicians, acrobats, storytellers, and clowns. To find out more, visit https://www.brightnight.org

The keystone of Providence’s new Avenue of the Arts, the Renaissance Providence Hotel features deluxe Rhode Island accommodations highlighted by 272 guest-rooms, 10,000 square feet of state-of-the art meeting space, an independent freestanding destination restaurant, a lounge, fitness center, and a 49-room club level, as well as a dramatic theater-like lobby with stunning views of the neighboring Rhode Island State House.

A nine-story addition, mirroring the Neo-Classical style of the hotel houses guest rooms and the conference/ballroom space and links the hotel with the VMA Arts and Cultural Center, home to the Rhode Island Philharmonic, Festival Ballet and Opera Providence as well as many fine arts performances.

About Renaissance Providence Hotel:
Stimulate your senses at a dramatic Providence, RI hotel boasting a fully orchestrated experience that celebrates the visual arts, music, drama, and dance at the Renaissance Providence Hotel. Originally built in 1929 as a Masonic temple, the remarkable neoclassical architecture has been meticulously restored to its natural beauty, while the interior has been transformed into an elegant reflection of modern day sophistication, creating a unique Providence, Rhode Island hotel. Beyond the iconic columns and grand entrance, visitors are welcomed by a theatrical backdrop that sets the stage for in an inspiring experience. Stylish downtown Providence hotel rooms offer timeless luxury, stunning detail, and refined comforts, as well as innovative technology. A central location in the Capitol District allows guests to visit the area’s timeless sites, such as the Rhode Island Statehouse. Reacquaint yourself with creativity and explore an expression of the arts at the glorious Renaissance Hotel in Providence, RI. For more information or to make a reservation, call 401-276-0010 or visit http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/pvdbr-renaissance-providence-hotel/

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PLEASE LIST, POST, & DISSEMINATE
KILL DATE 12/31/07
PRESS CONTACT: Adam Gertsacov for Bright Night Providence
401-351-2596 adam@brightnight.org
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Through a partnership with the PC Friars, New Year’s Eve festival goers can enjoy a basketball game in addition to arts performances.

DEC 10, 2007 (Providence RI)
Bright Night Providence is usually known for the wide variety of artists that perform during the New Year’s Eve Celebration. Musicians, actors, dancers, storytellers, clowns, magicians all grace the stages of the festival each year. This year, you can add point guards and power forwards to that list. That’s because on December 31, the Providence Friars are taking on Saint Peter’s at 2:00 pm at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, and Bright Night wristband wearers are eligible for free admission.

Bright Night has been going on since 2003, but this is the first time that a basketball game has been included on the schedule of events. The first 3000 festival goers who show their wristbands at a special table inside the Dunkin’ Donuts Center lobby will get a free ticket to the game against Saint Peter’s. Only one wristband per ticket. The lobby will open at noon, two hours before game time (2:00 pm)

Tickets to the basketball game are normally $10, and a ticket to Bright Night (if purchased in advance) is $10. Day of event ticket sales to Bright Night are $15 each, or a family fourpack $50. Tickets to Bright Night are available by calling 401-621-6123 or online at https://www.brightnight.org.

ABOUT THE PROVIDENCE COLLEGE FRIARS: The PC Friars Men’s Basketball Team is one of the top basketball teams in New England. They have sent 27 players to the NBA, made 15 appearances in the NCAA championships, 17 appearances in the NIT championships (including 2 championships), and compete in the BIG EAST Conference, the most televised conference in the country. To find out more, please visit their website http://www.friars.com

The Philadelphia Inquirer has a list of 10 holiday events to go to that are within a 1 day’s drive of the City of Brother Love.

Bright Night Providence makes the cut!