The First Night tradition began in Boston on New Year’s Eve, 1975, when a handful of the city’s artists and musicians sought an alternative to the drunken shenanigans behind most major holiday celebrations. The alcohol-free alternative quickly caught on across the United States, and the Springfield Area Arts Council is proud to host one of the longest-running First Night celebrations in Illinois and one of the remaining First Night celebrations in America. The SAAC’s 30 th annual event begins with children’s activities and performances at Springfield High School from 1-4 p.m. The festivities continue downtown from 5-11:15 p.m., with a wide variety of music, dance, theater and comedy at the Hoogland Center for the Arts, Lincoln Library, Grace Lutheran Church, Lincoln Home Visitor’s Center, Central Baptist Church and Kari Bedford Photography. The annual fireworks display is scheduled for 8 p.m., to be launched from the intersection of Fourth Street and Capitol Avenue. New to this year’s festivities is the Black Sheep Café stage featuring teenage musicians, a food truck concession area, strolling performers and a First Night merchandise tent. Advance tickets cost $18 for adults and $5 for ages 5-18. For more information about First Night, including the full schedule, visit http://springfieldartsco.org.