Belfast’s New Year’s Eve fete all about family

Editor’s Note: This story is being rerun to correct erroneous information published Thursday about the New Year’s By the Bay schedule. It was a reporting error.

BELFAST – Now entering its second decade, the city’s New Year’s By the Bay celebration has matured into an innovative end-of-the-year evening offering music, fun and surprises.

The 11th annual festival will ring in the new year with an eclectic combination of singing, dancing, storytelling, drumming, magic shows, horse and wagon rides, mime, poetry and much more. The family-oriented, chemical-free celebration will be held at venues throughout the city, most of them confined to the immediate downtown.

The festival would not be possible without the numerous volunteers that give up part of their New Year’s Eve to assist patrons and performances. Event president Mary Mortier said NYBB is always on the lookout for more volunteers and urged those interested to give her a call.

“We can always use more volunteers,” she said.

Admission to all of the evening’s events is by button, which costs $15 for adults, $5 for students in kindergarten through grade 12, free for children under 5. Event planners are figuring on a crowd of around 3,000 for the Monday, Dec. 31, celebration.

The fun will begin at midday with the noon unveiling of ice sculptures at the Williamson House on High Street.

Revelers will cap off the night with a parade from the intersection of High and Main streets, led by the Belfast Drum & Rabble Marching Society, at 11:45 p.m. that will end at the waterfront with a giant bonfire.

The marching society will feature professional marching drummers who will lay down the beat and be joined by the “rabble” who will provide percussion with everything from tin pots to plastic jugs. Organizer Michael Hurley has invited any and all to join in with the rabble.

“Anyone is welcome, every noisemaker is welcome,” Hurley proclaimed. “Bring a can or a bucket, bang a gong. Children of all ages are needed and uninhibited rhythm aces are encouraged. No lack [skill] of should discourage anyone. Our professional drummers will cover and guide you.”

In between the ice and fire, participants and patrons will be treated to a wide variety of musical styles and other performances. Horse and wagon rides will be available 2-9 p.m. Professional magician Conjuring Carroll will take the stage at the Boathouse at Steamboat Landing at 3:30 p.m., and the mime and music of Scott Canon will take place at the Colonial Theatre at 5 p.m., followed by the Middle East-African dance duo Helena & Shana at 8 p.m.

Poetry readings will be given at the Colonial Theatre at 6 p.m., and caricatures by PJ Carter will be offered 5:30-8 p.m. at the vestry of the First Baptist Church. The Belfast Curling Club will hold an open house 3:30-5 p.m.

Local restaurants and churches will be serving many diverse food treats. Bay Wrap will provide free hot spiced cider; Waldo County Triad will have fish chowder and chili at the Boathouse, the Weathervane will have free hot chocolate, Unitarian Universalist Church will offer a lasagna dinner, and the First Baptist Church will have beef stew, barbecue beans and turkey soup. The menu offerings at Scoops and Crepes, Alexia’s Pizza, Waterfall Arts and the Belfast Co-op Cafe also will be tempting and varied.

Musical performers scheduled to take the various stages around the city include the swinging rockabilly band The Hep Cats and old-time country Maine music legend Old Grey Goose. The Celtic-influenced string band Castelbay will return after a four-year absence.

George Lirakis will perform his blend of sea songs; Tango, featuring vocalist Kristen Burkholder and pianist Martin Gotlieb, will play from the American Songbook; and the steel band Steelin’ Thunder will return for another year as will the ever-popular Blue Hill Brass Quintet.

Indie rock group Full Contact Kitty will roll out its original songs, and bluegrass notables Katahdin Valley Boys will keep the strings burning. There will be Earth-centered songs and chants from Laura Campbell, and the mask and movement theater and musical storytelling by Beverly Mann and Jennifer Armstrong.

Rockin’ blues will be performed by the El Caminos; there will be Celtic music by Ferg N’ Sons; and Gypsy jazz from the trio Ameranouche.

Shuttle bus service will run from 4:30 p.m. to midnight in a downtown loop with stops at the Boathouse, Colonial Theatre, First Church and First Baptist Church.

Buttons are required for admission to the performance venues and are available in advance of Dec. 31 at the following locations: All About Games, Belfast Co-op, Fertile Mind Bookshop, Mr. Paperback, Hannaford, Remarkable Realty, Belfast Harbour Inn and Comfort Inn at Ocean’s Edge. They also may be purchased at NYBB headquarters at the Parent Gallery on Main Street that evening.

For information or to volunteer, call Mortier 323-1748, or visit nybb.org.