PROVIDENCE, RI., November 15, 2006 — Bright Night Providence, the artist-run New Year’s celebration now in its fourth 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 spectacular display of fireworks to start the New Year with a bang.
Bright Night, led by local performer and festival director Adam Gertsacov, already 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 a special Bright Night Circus of Wonders, featuring circus stars from Ringling, Cirque du Soleil, and other circuses. The Circus will take place in the Providence Convention Center. A large fireworks display will take place at midnight.
“Our fourth year will be our best yet,” said Gertsacov. “As an artist myself, I know how important and exciting this event is for area performers, and we’re looking forward to building on our past successes. We have received strong support from the City of Providence, from the state, and from our corporate donors, and we are confident that our audience will come out and make this year’s the biggest Bright Night ever.”
Tickets to Bright Night will be available in early December from ArtTixRI, and available at all BankRI locations. Anyone interested in sponsoring Bright Night should contact Gertsacov at (401) 351-2596, or visit 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 based in Providence, RI. 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, Mark Binder, Carolyn Martino, Val Tutson, Deb Meunier, Tom Sgouros, and Mark Binder.
BRIGHT NIGHT INFORMATION/SIDEBAR
The 2007 Celebration will feature:
• Over 125 Performers in 17 venues throughout downtown Providence.
• Amazing performances by some of the top musicians, storytellers, dancers, puppeteers, acrobats, and actors in town.
• Expanded children and family activities in the afternoon.
• Early Evening and Midnight Fireworks displays.
• Sponsorship opportunities for civic-minded & entrepreneurial corporations and individuals.
Tickets for Bright Night Providence 2007 will be available in early December.
Tickets are $10 each, if purchased in advance.
On the day of the event (Sunday, December 31) tickets will be $15 each, or 4 for $50.
Tickets will be available via www.arttixri.com and also at the following locations:
•All Bank RI Branches
•All OOP! Locations (Providence Place Mall & Ives Street)
•East Side Marketplace (Pitman Street)
•ArtTix Office (Dorrance Street)
•Providence Convention Center (Dec. 31 only!)
For more information, visit www.brightnight.org or call 401-351-2596 (administrative office) or 401-621-6123 (box office)
