New Year’s Eve in the village – you need a ticket For those new to New Year’s Eve in Whistler, you’ve got to have a ticket to get into the village. Whistler’s sixth annual First Night, a non-alcoholic, family event, takes place throughout the village and the Meadow Park Sports Arena. The evening includes live entertainment in the village and a variety of activities at the arena. If you don’t have a ticket, either to First Night or to a restaurant or club in the village hosting a New Year’s Eve party, you won’t be allowed into the village. First Night festivities get underway at 6 p.m. Dec. 31 on stages in Mountain Square and Village Square. MCs for the evening are Bing Jensen and the comedy improv group Theatresports. Between 6 and 9 p.m. two of the summer’s most popular street performers, Mike Battie and The Checkerboard Guy, will be cruising the village streets. The a cappella group The Euphorics will also be singing. At 9 p.m. blues singer Joani Bye takes over the stage in Village Square, while The R&B group The Hightops perform on the stage in Mountain Square. For younger children, the Meadow Park Arena will be hosting a number of family-oriented activities from 6 p.m. The pool will be open until 10 p.m. and the ice arena, where the big countdown will take place, until after midnight. Festivities will include ice painting, relay races, water running, vortex rides and snow sculptures. A supervised imagination playground will be available, as will a slumber room for children who can’t stay awake until the new year. The North Shore Credit Union Room is set aside for teens to watch videos or do their own thing. There will be draw prizes at the arena. Tickets for the evening are $6 each (free for children under 6) and are available from the Whistler Activity Centre and the Meadow Park Arena. The municipality is providing free bus service from 6:45 p.m. Dec. 31 to 3:45 a.m. Jan. 1 to ensure that everyone gets home safely. Whistler First Night is a co-operative effort of the Whistler Resort Association, Resort Municipality of Whistler, Mountain Community Health Alternatives and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
