File photos from First Night 2021 and 2022
Oil City Arts Council’s annual New Year’s Eve celebration, First Night ® Oil City, will take place on Sunday, December 31, 2023 with entertainment or activities taking place from 6 to 11 p.m. with fireworks at midnight.
The theme for this year’s gala event is “Back to the Future”.
This fun-filled, family-oriented, non-alcoholic New Year’s Eve festivity will again offer an array of wonderful live entertainment at multiple venues on the north and south sides of Oil City.
During the evening’s celebration, a shuttle bus will run between the north and south sides of town from 5:30 to 11:30 p.m.
Admission to First Night Oil City venues requires a specially designed First Night admission button. The button cost this year is $10. Those age 10 and younger are free. The buttons can be purchased at the Oil City Public Library, Gates and Burns Realty, Inc., Transit Arts Gallery & Gifts, and Venango Museum. That evening buttons are available at Trinity United Methodist Church or Christ Episcopal Church.
A special FirstNight SnapChat filter sponsored by HOLeY Jeans will be available during the event to share photos. Use #firstnightoilcity2023 to help spread the word and share photos on social media posts.
Further information is available online and on Facebook or see the list of performers below.
The theme for this year’s gala event is “Back to the Future”.
This fun-filled, family-oriented, non-alcoholic New Year’s Eve festivity will again offer an array of wonderful live entertainment at multiple venues on the north and south sides of Oil City.
During the evening’s celebration, a shuttle bus will run between the north and south sides of town from 5:30 to 11:30 p.m.
Admission to First Night Oil City venues requires a specially designed First Night admission button. The button cost this year is $10. Those age 10 and younger are free. The buttons can be purchased at the Oil City Public Library, Gates and Burns Realty, Inc., Transit Arts Gallery & Gifts, and Venango Museum. That evening buttons are available at Trinity United Methodist Church or Christ Episcopal Church.
A special FirstNight SnapChat filter sponsored by HOLeY Jeans will be available during the event to share photos. Use #firstnightoilcity2023 to help spread the word and share photos on social media posts.
Further information is available online and on Facebook or see the list of performers below.
| Kicking off the evening First Night Oil City revelers can create crazy, self-made hats in the first-floor hallway of the National Transit Building from 6 to 8 p.m. HOLeY JEANS will perform outdoors by the Christmas tree in Towne Square at 5:45 p.m. on the North Side before the Peoples Procession. First Night goers are encouraged to participate in a festive and noisy Peoples parade at 6 p.m. It will travel from just behind 100 Seneca Street to Justus Park near the bonfire and to watch the first set of fireworks at 6:30 p.m. “First Bites" of food options will be available at Trinity and Calvary UM churches or some local restaurants. Bonfires will be located at Justus Park and the Central Avenue Plaza. |   |
On the North Side of town
- Piano Maniacs Dueling Pianos - Trinity United Methodist Church, second floor Trinity Room. Their interactive show will feature a whirlwind of musical comedy, sing-along, song requests from classic rock, country, hip-hop, and standards.
- Echo Valley Bluegrass Band - Trinity UMC sanctuary. Popular, award-winning musician siblings perform a variety of Bluegrass, Gospel, Retro and Grassicana styles of toe-tapping music.
- Magic Steve Bennett - Trinity UMC nursery. Bennett will perform ½-hour magic acts, followed by fascinating balloon art.
- Butler Clowns - Trinity UMC classroom, The ever-popular will do balloon characters, face-painting and more. With the classroom space, kids will also have an opportunity to make crafts to take with them.
- Community Playhouse, Inc. - Trinity UMC. A themed booth for photo ops will be set up in the second-floor library of the church. Props will be provided.
- Samantha Sears - Great Room of the National Transit Building, The singer-songwriter will perform her unique and ever-special acoustic rock and Indie music.
- Drum circle - National Transit Building Annex. Revelers can express themselves percussively and with enthusiasm as they actively participate in a drum circle with Kim Huegel and friends.
On the South Side of town
- Pine Valley Boys - Calvary United Methodist Church. The popular five-piece local bluegrass band bring the fun and great ‘down home’ music wherever they perform.
- The Route 8 Band - Oil City YWCA gymnasium. The band consists of a talented eclectic mix of seasoned musicians from the Oil City/Franklin area who play a mix of country, rock, and blues that will appeal to a variety of audiences.
- Moe Taters & the Gravy Train - Christ Episcopal Church social hall. This multi-talented band includes just the right amount of harmonica playing to bring audiences some of the best Western Swing and Vintage Country around, especially when coupled with some fun and catchy originals of their own.
- Touch of Grey - Christ Episcopal Church sanctuary. This versatile band consists three teachers from the Meadville area who play a variety of songs that they knew when growing up, including The Grateful Dead and other classic rock tunes.
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