FIRST NIGHT: Sunday marks the 20th anniversary of the first First Night Bradford celebration.
On Dec. 29, 1997, The Era described the New Year’s Eve event being planned to welcome the start of 1998.
“The only small-town thing about the ball drop at Bradford’s First Night is the story of its creation,” wrote then-Era reporter Kimberly Weinberg. “First Night organizer Paula Johnson wanted a big-city ball drop for Bradford’s inaugural alcohol-free New Year’s celebration.”
The article describes the thought and care put into the creation of the first celebratory ball, a task that was taken on by Pure Tech.
The article continued: “‘It’s a lot more complicated than we thought,” admits Greg Huber of Pure Tech, but the company was up to the challenge.
“After several months of work, Bill Huber of Pure Tech has designed a ball sure to make crowds ooh and ah.”
“‘It will be decked just like a Christmas tree,’ Bill Huber said.”
This is how Bradfordians were to welcome 1998:
“This year the 8-foot diameter metal frame ball will be outlined in lights and hang 100 feet in the air from a crane donated by Kessel Construction Inc.,” the article stated. “Outlined in pink neon will be ’97. The crane will be stationed on South Avenue with the ball hanging over Main Street between Pine Street and South Avenue.
“The ball will hang from the top of the crane throughout the First Night activities, then begin its descent at 11:59 p.m., 1997. Cables will be hooked to the sides of the ball and held on the ground to stable the giant ball during its descent.”
Among the activities and entertainment on the schedule for that first event were Mr. McFeely and the Purple Panda Show, a Dick Robertson slide show on Bradford’s Victorian homes, an antler carving demonstration, Be a Friend Feast at The Friendship Table, Mime to Amaze and marshmallow roasting in the Tops parking lot.
The next year, the Pure Tech fellows went back to the drawing board again, unveiling on Dec. 31, 1998, a neon keystone with the number 98 in it. The number turned into a 99 at midnight.
As Bradfordians know, the committee would eventually begin dropping a replica of the Veterans Square gazebo.
This year, a laser show will signal the start of the new year.
