The last night of 2018 was cold and rainy but that didn’t stop the annual First Night from occurring in Downtown State College. Many students braved the weather to join the festivities that First Night has to offer.  First Night in downtown State College has been a tradition for over 20 years and is a fun family-friendly event. With activities for kids and adults alike, it is a perfect way to ring in the New Year with family.

Another rainy night in State College, however, didn’t stop the fun. Kids could be seen gleefully sliding down the ice slide in Sidney Friedman Park as well as admiring the ice sculptures surrounding it.  Horse-drawn carriage rides were offered, giving riders a great view of the festivities. Ice skating, crafts, food, and entertainment were also part of the night. A First Night button allowed for access to workshops, concerts and ice skating at Pegula Ice Arena, which is a popular activity at First Night.

There were a lot of activities centered around New Year’s resolutions. The annual 5k Resolution Run occurred at 6:30 PM. There was also an opportunity to burn regrets or old resolutions at Sidney Friedman Park at 11:30 PM. In addition, there were opportunities to put up new resolutions and see other resolution-themed ice sculptures.

A large part of what makes the night memorable is the intricate ice sculptures placed at different locations downtown.  Sculptors could be seen making the sculptures earlier in the day, using over 100 blocks of ice. Sophomore Hadley Crownover recalls, “It was unfortunate that it was raining, but it was still fun to see the different ice sculptures with my friends.” Crownover’s favorite to see was the huge 2019 sculpture.

Despite the cold and rain, the activities, such as ice skating, delicious food, and musical entertainment made First Night a success.