Evanston Group Cancels New Years Eve, Forever Stuck in 2008

By Prescott Carlson in Miscellaneous on Dec 31, 2008 8:00PM

Evanston's "First Night" organization has decided to cancel its New Year's Eve celebration that was supposed to take place tonight, and rescuing baby Happy from Eon's island is not going to bring it back. No, it's going to take a much more difficult feat -- a turnaround of the economy. A lack of fundraising is what did in the festivities this year, and they're not optimistic about 2009, either:

"We're taking a hiatus this year," First Night board member Martha Rudy said Tuesday. "I would be surprised if it comes back next year. I think were looking at two years down the road."

The event was held as part of First Night International, and cost approximately $110,000 to put on. The group describes it as a "substance-free celebration of arts, community and renewal for audiences of all ages" that was spread throughout downtown Evanston at various businesses and churches. Let's hope a corporate sponsor can step up next year and help out, because that seems like a much better way for families to spend the evening than shooting off guns and fireworks in a vacant lot.