What's new at WRAL First Night Raleigh
Large, lighted flowers are helping to light up this year's WRAL First Night Raleigh.
Posted — UpdatedIn addition to the garden, guests can also check out the giant Ferris Wheel and the Alien Abduction Gravitron amusement ride on Fayetteville Street. The Boom Unit Brass Band, Caleb Johnson and The Ramblin Saints and Illiterate Light will take the stage before the acorn drops at midnight.
Can't stay awake until midnight?
As with previous years, there will be a variety of children's activities from 2 to 6 p.m., including a performance by the Cashore Marionettes at the North Carolina Museum of History. The program will feature "a series of touching portrayals and poignant scenes from everyday life set to stunning music by such composers as Vivaldi, Strauss, Beethoven and Copland," according to the show's description. Performances are at 4 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.
The Barefoot Movement will take the main stage in City Plaza from 6 p.m. until the early acorn drop at 7 p.m.
- At 6 p.m., the People's Procession heads from Bicentennial Plaza to Martin Street. The Helping Hand Mission, Paperhand Puppet Intervention and N.C. State Pipes and Drums lead this parade through downtown.
- Learn how to ballroom dance with lessons from USA Ballroom from 7 to 11 p.m. at First Baptist Church Salisbury Street Fellowship Hall.
- Acoustic duo Violet Bell plays Vintage Church at 8:30 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.
- African American Dance Ensemble performs at 7:45 p.m. and 9 p.m. at the First Baptist Church on Wilmington Street.
- Enjoy some jazz at First Presbyterian Church's Memorial Hall starting at 7 p.m.
- Get involved by adding your wishes and positive messages to the Midnight Mural in Bicentennial Plaza.
- Share your resolution for 2020 by writing it down on a scrap of material and tying it to a metal tree created by artist Jennifer Van Orden. The tree will be in Bientennial Plaza from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and then between Fayetteville and Morgan streets from 7 to 11 p.m.
- The Dynamo Dogs will showcase their high-flying antics at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. at Bicentennial Plaza.
- Make plans for the 2020 by writing what you plan to do next year on giant chalkboards in Bicentennial Plaza from 2 p.m to 11 p.m.
- The First Night Raleigh Globe, created by Keith Satow with neon by Nate Sheaffer, will be lighting up Moore Square from 2 p.m to 11 p.m.
- R&D Brewing will be serving beer and hard cider along Fayetteville Street from 2 p.m. until midnight as part of a new partnership with Artsplosure
If you want to avoid traffic, GoRaleigh buses are offering a park-and-ride system into downtown. One-way trips are $1.25, with round trips being $2.50. Starting at 5 p.m., the busses will go from the NCSU Park and Ride Lot (Oval Drive and Initiative Way) and from outside of Dillard's at Triangle Town Center Mall. The buses will drop off and pick up at Morgan and Wilmington streets. The buses will run until 1 a.m.
You can watch all the WRAL First Night Raleigh fun from your couch. Get a sneak peek at the fun on WRAL.com starting at 6:25 p.m. with an online-only pre-show featuring the Out and About crew. WRAL News will have full coverage of the festivities during evening newscasts, plus an extended 11 p.m. show that will feature the acorn drop, plus some special guests!
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