MEDIA RELEASE
Opshop Set To Rock First Night® At The Aotea Centre, The Edge® New Years Eve, From 7pm, Monday 31st December,
Come to THE EDGE® and experience the eighth year of
First Night®!
First Night® Auckland 2008 is THE EDGE®’s free, safe and family focussed New Year’s Eve event - that marks the passing
of one year to the next. First Night® celebrates all aspect of the arts, our communities and culminates just prior to
midnight with Ngati Whatua calling in the New Year and a procession by children and families attending the event.
This year THE EDGE® is thrilled to confirm a stunning line up of New Zealand talent performing on all levels of the
Aotea Centre. On the Music Stage (ASB Theatre) our headline acts are OpShop, One Million Dollars, Solaa, Annabel Fay,
Mamaku Project and The Shades. Performing on the World Stage (Level 5) will be a variety of cultural groups bringing a
global flavour to the night’s entertainment. For the first time, Buffy and Bimbo will MC a Dance Hall in Limelight,
(Level 3) with The Swing Cats - a 12 piece sound sensation bringing their mix of swing, Motown, jive and rock n roll to
the dance floor. Besides live music there is host of entertainment and activities from much loved Travelling Tuataras & Pacific Island Mamas to the Bolliwood dancing, hip hop krumping, face painting, cultural arts and crafts and much
more...
The theme for this year’s event is “Celebrating Whanau”. THE EDGE® Public Programmes Manager, Sally Markham and her team
are thrilled with the variety of entertainment and activities available. Sally states “First Night® is one of many
community outreach initiatives led by THE EDGE® Public Programmes that celebrates the colour, vibrancy and energy of
arts and culture from diverse communities. We are once again proud to provide First Night® Auckland 2008 as a free,
accessible and family-oriented event in the heart of the city and promise a fun-filled and interactive experience that
has something for everyone.”
First Night® Auckland 2008 is organised by THE EDGE® and proudly supported by Auckland City Council. First Night®
Auckland 2008 is an alcohol free event and will happen rain or shine. Doors will open from 6.30pm. The procession into
Aotea Square begins at 11:50pm and the event ends at midnight. The official website for First Night is
www.firstnight.org.nz
First Night® is a global event. New Year’s Eve celebrations are staged in over 130 cities in the USA, Canada and the UK.
First Night® Auckland regularly attracts over 25,000 and last year reached its capacity of 27,000 people.
ends