Revelers shrug off chills to enjoy First Night

By ED QUIOCO

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 1, 2001

ST. PETERSBURG -- The hand-numbing, teeth-chattering cold was not going to keep the Evans family away from the First Night celebration.

Greg and Kathy Evans have been coming to the event since they were married in 1995. The alcohol-free, New Year's Eve event has become a family tradition for the Evans, who now have two sons: Aidan, 1, and Connor, 5.

"We are trying to instill in them a sense of community, and this is a good way to start the New Year," said Greg Evans, 40, of St. Petersburg, whose children were bundled in winter jackets. "It's a tradition with us. I don't care what the weather is."

The Evanses were not the only ones who braved the cold.

Thousands showed up at the eighth annual First Night celebration in St. Petersburg and were treated to fireworks, music and a jigsaw puzzle of 26 venues scattered throughout downtown St. Petersburg.

Crowd estimates were not available Sunday night, but the celebration typically draws 10,000 to 15,000 people. Organizers thought this year's event would suffer because of the cold weather and the Bucs playoff game late Sunday afternoon.

It was certainly a smaller turnout than last year's big millennium bash, which drew 20,000. But organizers were pleasantly surprised with this year's crowd, even though the temperature dropped to 41 degrees by late Sunday night.

"It's been a whole lot more than I expected," said Pat Mason, First Night director. "Every venue has been crowded. With this cold weather, I can't believe it."

This was the first time the event offered two fireworks shows: one at midnight and one at 9 p.m. for parents who wanted to get their children home early.

The early fireworks display was a hit for the Fraser family of Acton, Ontario, who are vacationing in Madeira Beach.

"Keeping the little ones up until midnight is kind of tough," said Kathy Fraser, 42.

"Tell the truth," said her husband, Tom, 45. "Keeping the big guys up until midnight is tough. I don't remember the last time we stayed up until midnight."

Before the fireworks, Tom Fraser and his son, Luke, 10, used colored chalk to write "Happy New Year, from Acton, Ontario" on Central Avenue, taking part of the chalk-drawing venue on the road between First and Second streets.

When asked if he had any resolutions for the new year, Tom Fraser had to think about it. His wife, though, was quick to volunteer some suggestions.

"I have lots of them for you," Kathy Fraser said. "Do you want to know how much weight he is going to lose . . . and how much less stressed he is going to be next year?"

Leroy Lewis, a St. Petersburg native who has attended the celebration for several years, said First Night seems to grow every year and this one would be no different.

"There are a lot of people who live here who like to be out on New Year's Eve," Lewis, 59, said. "They bundle their kids up and they make this a tradition as being part of St. Petersburg. The cold doesn't keep them away at Times Square; it won't keep them away here."

That was easy for him to say. Lewis, who was selling pretzels at the Vinoy Basin, was lucky enough to stand behind a charcoal grill all night.

"I'm real warm," said Lewis, grinning.

Morris and Maryellen Johnson of St. Petersburg spent part of the night consoling their 6-year-old daughter, Eva, who was clearly disappointed with the cardboard clock she had made with sparkles at the former McCrory's building.

The venue offered crafts for children, a puppet show and balloon animals.

"It's just been kind of a tradition for our family," Maryellen Johnson, 43, said. "We enjoy doing it every year. It's a good way to start the new year."