Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - With the start of the new year approaching, Independent Health has, once again, partnered with Tops Friendly Markets to celebrate First Night Buffalo by providing Western New York families First Night Family Party Packs to enjoy an online celebration from home.
This Buffalo family tradition is in its 37th year overall, and the sixth year the event has gone all virtual.
"We turned it into a virtual tradition when COVID hit, and we would ask our participants, 'Would you like us to go back to doing it in person?' And they love the virtual show," said Carrie Meyer, executive director of the Independent Health Foundation. "It's a two-hour entertaining show, where we have a lot of local entertainers come together and put on a comedy show, an animal show, crafts, storytelling. There's so many things that go into it."
Then there's the First Night Family Party Pack, which Meyer says takes the experience of the event to the next level.
"If you have a box, you can engage more in the show," she explained with WBEN. "They'll say, 'Pull out your box and grab out the balloons, and we're going to make balloon animals, and this is how you do it. Pull out your box, we're going to draw different animals, and this is how you do it.' It's about engaging and bonding as a family."
Meyer says this is her 30th year helping put together First Night Buffalo, and was among the many residents in Buffalo who used to bring their children to the event in years past. She continues to feel the virtual experience of the event allows more families across the region to engage and enjoy all it has to offer.
"We used to go down to the Convention Center or these different locations, and there would be rides and all these different things. Well, there was long lines, maybe there was a blizzard and you couldn't get to it so there was some struggles. Or you had all your hats and your coats and your gloves and your boots, and you're trying to hold everything. It is just more comfortable, I think, for the families that they don't have to try to rush and take their kids out," Meyer said. "They could stay in the comfort of their own home and get entertained as a family, and engage in an activity. They get up and jump and dance, they jump rope. We teach them all these different things, but it's all about building a bond together in a safe and healthy way."
The First Night Family Party Packs are available for purchase now at select Tops locations for $25, though Meyer says the value is about $80. Each pack features a variety of festive items and activities to help families of four celebrate safely and have fun at home.
"There's confetti, balloons, confetti poppers, there's face paint, there's a balloon instrument to blow up the balloons to make it easy, so you can learn how to make animals and different characters. There's also in the box a paddle, so in the show, we're going to be doing some kind of fun, get up and engage and do ping pong together. There's a lot of different things," Meyer noted.
She adds there's also passes to Explore & More children's museum, so the family can enjoy a day at the museum anytime in the beginning of the new year.
Also included in the Party Packs are party hats, glow accessories, noisemakers and several other surprises. The Party Packs also complements First Night Buffalo’s free online entertainment, which goes live Dec. 31 at www.firstnightbuffalo.org.
First Night Buffalo also includes a robust online entertainment lineup with music, dancing, animal shows, and more:
- Jeff the Animal Guy of Nickel City Reptiles & Exotics
- DJ Milk
- Jim the Balloon Guy
- Drawing with Mallory
- Squiggly Art Face Painting
- Storytime with Kristine
- Master Khechen’s Tae Kwon Do
- Characters from Emmalee’s Memories
- And more!
A portion of proceeds from each Party Pack sold will benefit Oishei Children’s Hospital, supporting critical programs and lifesaving technology for moms, babies, and children across Western New York.