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Welcome
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First Night Northampton |
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My
Hats Pledge Every time
a My Hat sells...
5lbs. of food is donated to the
Northampton Survival Center!
...Thank you for your support... |
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Come
to Northampton, the "Number One Best Small Arts
Town in America"
(author John
Villani, 2000)
Founded
in 1654, Northampton is among the "Top 100 Best
Places to Live"
(CNN Money,
2005)
Downtown
Northampton is the place to be. "It's the Number
One Best Social Town in America"
(My
Hats, 2008) |
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***Navigation
Menu*** |
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Do
you know which 1929 President graduated Amherst College in 1897 here in the valley
and lived & died in Noho in 1933? |
 <-answer |
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"First Night Button"
"First Night Crowds"
"First Night Schedule"
"First Night Headquarter's"
"First Night Volunteer's"
"Local Cow Hot Choco"
"Daytime Family Events"
"Center of Town...it's 11°"
"Evening Events"
"Midnight Cafe"
"Late Night Events"
"Elvis Encore"
with Lord Russ
Up
& Down the Main!
Our
Streets kept Safe!
Our
coffee & donut shops kept safe too!
Yep...well patrolled!
Home
of Smith College
Looking
down on Main
Main
Intersection of Main Street. A Beautiful
Town!
Visit
Northampton!
Marty
Stuart in Noho!
Sunday
August 19, 2007 2:30PM
In late July, Marty
Stuart, the
right hand man to the late
Johnny Cash with me for this
pic for my Dad. A few weeks
later my Dad fell asleep. Now
he doesn't wake up anymore.
Thank you Marty Stuart for
the pic. Dad loved Nashville,
the Red Sox, Loretta Lynn &
his family. A few hours after
I posted this on Sunday...
Sunday
August 19, 2007 6:30PM
My Dad passed on. He
was
sleeping when he left. I hope
he goes to a way better place
where they have Nashville, the
Red Sox & Loretta Lynn. My
Dad got married New Year's
Eve. He was just 25 yrs. old.
He loved to take & develop
photos in his photo lab. Only
had B&W then so he colored
them by hand. He was good
at it. Thank God for color and
digital. My Dad was Scottish
Canadian and loved to hear
the bagpipes and fiddle. No
bagpipes today Dad, but here
is a little fiddle just for you!
PS. I Love you Dad.
GO
RED SOX!
Congratulations
Red
Sox
WS 2007 Champs!
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NPD's
2008 pic
of the year! It's the hitch-hiking cop. He's well known to resident's of Noho, but today an out of town motorist wittnessed him hitch-hiking and made the call. An Officer was dispatched. You can see him trying to talk him down, or rather, talk his thumb down. His story? His shift was over and he just wanted a ride to the station. When the officer told him his shift just began...the cop changed his story. Well one thing you don't do is change your story to an officer! The cop got his ride to the station, where he spent the night. The next day the judge laughed and thew it out of court. You guessed it, he's right back out on the streets! |
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| “Downtown
Northampton 2008-2009”
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Northampton
has
a well staffed foot patrol.
They
They routinely patrol the
downtown area.
Left, Officer Borowski...Right
Officer Digiammo.
Even in the bitter cold the
foot patrol is out in the
same force keeping the streets
safe for everyone.
The downtown area welcomes
their presence. |
Hotel
Northampton
with Wiggens Tavern.
entrance
all lit up for the holidays!!
Conveniently
located right on the corner
of
Main
Street in downtown Northampton!
In the warmer weather an outside
cafe takes the
place of the sleigh full of
presents. |
THORNS...the
place to go in Noho!!
30
Plus Shops and restaurants
inside.
Trimmed with decorative lights
and a way huge
holiday wreath. An enormous
marketplace!
Looks
like the shopper's are shopping
with
cold cash these days, or maybe
cold credit cards. |
Check back soon to see All of New Year's Eve First Nights 2008-2009 replace 2007-2008
Downtown
Northampton
Dec 31, 2008-Jan 1, 2009
"New
Year's Eve 2008 into the New Year 2009"
   
| It was absolutely, incredibly, unbelievably bitterly cold on December 31. It snowed all day till about 3:00PM. The day started out at a high of 24°. That's the snow covered globe waiting for midnight. Merchant's hired hands celebrated with shovels. In route to my first event I had fun capturing pics of the shoveling crews. They had a different idea of fun. Yep, that's right, they traded my camera for their shovel. Well that lasted just long enough for one pic...uh huh, that's me all bundled up pushing a shovel. Not for me. I quickly reversed the trade and was on my way. Hey, these guys are getting paid and volunteer shoveling was not on my agenda! |
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| So I'm on my way now to the events. Had to stop first to support my local farmers and what could be better than hot chocolate made by a cow! First Night begins at Noon and most of the events are set up for the kids. From Found Sounds" on Djembe drums are Ellen Clegg (left) and Victoria (right). Set up in a circle were chairs for everyone with their very own drums and drumsticks so they could play right along. Mom's and Dad's with their kids participated to drum up the fun! |
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| Down the street and up on a hill, inside a snow covered Union Station, I found the O-Tones. This group performed two shows from 4:00PM to 5:45PM. With guitars, a saxophone, a keyboard and drums with cymbals, the O-Tones performed selections of Jazz, Swing and R&B Motown. A content crowd enjoyed! |
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| From 4:00-5:45PM, inside the newly renovated First Churches Sanctuary, the room was filled with family's gathered for the José Gonzalez Family Musical Fiesta. They sang in english and español with songs that included the audience in sing-a-longs. The show was geared towards children and they were having a great time! |
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| And from 4:00-5:45PM just downstairs in the First Churches Lyman Hall, "Just Harmony" performed Songs of Justice, Peace and Freedom. Across the street at the A.P.E windows gallery, WHMP was set up airing live music for the radio audience that didn't want to come out and brave the nearly single digit temperature. Over at Memorial Hall "Acoustic Brew" entertained a crowd with country tunes. It's 5:30PM and there's just enough time for one more stop before the fireworks. |
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| There's many more events from 4:00-5:45PM than what you see on this page. This is the last one I checked out today before heading off to the fireworks. Inside Memorial Hall, it's Ed the Balloon Man! Ed Popielarczyk is a professional magician, balloon twister and entertainer. Ed has been entertaining audiences for over 25 yrs. His specialty is performing magic for children and family audiences and his balloon sculptures relate to all ages. Everyone loves to watch someone sculpture something from a balloon and after being entertained you get to keep his balloon art! Along with entertaining at parties, Ed also holds workshops to teach kids magic and balloon sculpting. Audience participation is a must in Ed's show because the kids help to make the magic happen! Ed's is local...website edpop.com |
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| It's
6:00PM and at 6:15PM fireworks will light
the sky as they rocket from the top of
the parking garage behind Thorn's Market
on Main Sreet. The steps of the
First Churches"
and sidewalks fill quickly with warm friendly
people, shoulder to shoulder making the
area nice and cozy warm just in time for
the show. When the show's done, the people
are off and on their way to more First
Night events. There's still lot's going
on so there is no reason to stand around
waiting for midnight. |
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| At 8:00PM I heded over to the Academy of Music. The Academy of Music seats hundreds and every seat was taken. I got in just to take pics. I couldn't see much from a distance but my ears quickly figured out why every seat was taken. Performing was Zoe Darrow and the Fiddleheads and they were incredibly great. I wanted to sit and listen, but it was take pics and leave for me. Worth every cent if there was a price to get in. The applause for this group could be heard outside. |
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| At 8:15PM I went over to the Lyman Hall First Churches to find a group called the Trina Cheile. This group of four consisted of a guitar, harp, drums and a cello. Nice combination, beautiful music and rounds of applause from their audience. Then over to the Edwards Church to find The Valley Jazz Divas. The church was filled to capacity. The instrumental was outstanding and the vocalist's were dynamic. A talented group entertaining what looked to be a very content audience. |
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| It's 8:30PM and I'm movin' on over to the Center for the Arts. News 22 was between their van and the cold sidewalks most of the night. It's only 11° and there were a lot of people on the sidewalks but they were moving right along, just like me. Ah, I'm inside the Center of the Arts and it's nice and warm and so too was the atmosphere with Johnny and the Flashbacks performing while people rocked to the music. First Night in Noho is organized and run by the Center for the Arts. |
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| At 9:15PM still inside the Center for the Arts, The Black Rebels took over the stage. Then back out in the cold and over to Lyman Hall where I got to hear Greg Alexander sing some mellow music accompanied by his guitar. Next, over at the Unitarian Society who else but almost Elvis himself. Elvis Encore with Lord Russ. If you weren't looking at this guy you would be convinced he was Elvis Presley himself. He performs every year for First Night and sounds exactly like the King. |
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Below is 2007-2008 Soon to be replaced with 2008-2009...Check back!
11:50PM and the center of Northampton
is quickly blocked off to traffic. It's
a pedestrians dream!
   
People
crowd in and gather in front of the Hotel
Northampton. The ball that sits on the
roof will rise in less than 10 minutes.
   
It's
11:59:50PM and the ball is rising and
the crowd is counting down 10, 9, 8,...Happy
New Year 2008!!!!!
   
That's
all folks! The streets empty out quickly.
The News teams are out of here. Everyone
had fun bringing in the New Year and the
street sweeper's are cleaning up the fun.
If you didn't make it this year, there's
always next year. Hope to see you!
Happy
Anniversary Dad 12/31/56.
Police
and Public Safety Downtown
Northampton
   
Downtown
is always monitored via foot patrol. While
there are no fences around the town, it
is just one of the safest towns to reside
in or visit. Our great public safety is to thank. On the
left is Officer Kohl. A little further
down the street on the corner is Officer's
Borowski and Digiammo. Not fighting any crime
today but certainly fighting the cold is Officer
Wigmore on foot patrol. If you come to
Northampton the streets are loaded with
crosswalks. It's a pedestrians world.
Every now and then the officer's set up at the
crosswalks. That's Officer Kasper and
Officer I don't know his name, sorry.
I don't think they give tickets but they
do give gentle reminders about the crosswalk
laws. Oops, hey there taxi you can't make
a U-turn in the middle of Main, well at
least not in front of two officers.
I love to make up stories to go with the pics of our Officer's. The fact is, our town is what it is, awarded "Best Small Arts Town" and in the top 100 year after year because our officer's do an outstanding job. It's not easy to be a cop in Noho. NPD has high standards for it's Officer's and our Officer's keep Noho ranking high!
If
you visit Northampton...I guarantee you you will have just
as much fun as I do everyday. Noho is the only town I have
ever lived in that I never want to leave!
To
all our officers of the Northampton Police force...thank
you for your dedication and service and for helping to keep
this town an enjoyable and safe place. |
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Pedestrians
and Parking Downtown
Northampton Hampton
Ave.
 
These
two ladies are returning from a fun time in downtown Northampton,
and as they hit the crosswalk to head home...Boom! they quickly
change their mind and their direction for a 30 second walk
to the ice cream parlor "Herrell's".
Northampton
is all encompassing with everything necessary to fulfill the
most insatiable thirst for the ultimate social time! The parking
garage is right behind the Ladies. To my right (which of course you
can't see) as I take this pic is another large parking lot.
Many people worry about coming to Noho, because of parking,
well the parking here is way plenty
enough! You just need to know how to find it, and it's easy
because it's right behind the biggest marketplace in Noho,
"THORNS
Market",
central main street, right in the heart of
Noho!
The
parking garage you see in the pic has a walkway right into
thorn's market and THORNS
is also equipped with an elevator. |
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Contact:
info@myhats.org |
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