ORANGE — Fireworks are always the most popular attraction at the Starry Starry Night event, and local residents dug into their pockets to ensure their favorite aspect of the New Year’s Eve celebration in downtown Orange got the financial support it needs.
At least 30 collection cans were placed at area businesses and people donated $550 in change during a 30-day campaign from Nov. 10 to Dec. 10.
“It will boost the fireworks,” said Dottie Verheyen, the Orange Revitalization Partnership’s chair of the Starry Starry Night Committee. “It’s our biggest bang — pardon the pun.”
She mentioned that American Thunder Fireworks, a company hired out of North Reading, has said the money will give the display a little extra oomph that includes a “crazy finale.”
The fireworks are set to begin at 10:15 p.m. to cap off the 29th rendition of Starry Starry Night. The festivities, which include performances at various venues, will begin with ice sculptures, which are scheduled to be completed in Memorial Park by 3 p.m. A gallery walk begins at Stage on Main at 17 South Main St. at 4 p.m. and the popular bonfire behind the Fire Station is slated to start at 6 p.m.
“It’ll be blazing,” Verheyen said.
The Parade of Stars, in which people carry homemade stars, will begin at 10 p.m. Attendees can make their star any way they choose, but some suggestions are available at starrystarrynight.org/how-to-make-your-own-star. The short route starts at Town Hall and ends at Memorial Park in time for the fireworks over the river. Everyone is welcome to march in the parade and no sign-up is necessary.
Sharon Hatstat, who sits on the Starry Starry Night Committee, said this year featured a collaboration with the LaunchSpace makerspace inside the Orange Innovation Center, where people gathered on Dec. 6 to craft 17 stars to be carried along the route.
The parade will be led by Trevor The Games Man, on his trademark stilts. He previously worked Starry Starry Night in 2017 and 2019, and he jumped at the chance to do it again.
“I love performing there — it’s great. It’s a wonderful event, great shows,” said Trevor The Games Man (his legal name). “It’s the last hurrah at the end of the year.”
Trevor The Games Man will perform up-in-the-air tricks in participatory shows at the First Universalist Church, located at 31 North Main St., at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
A full list of performers, and their scheduled times and venues, can be found at starrystarrynight.org/performers. This will be the first year that Stage on Main and St. Mary’s Parish Center serve as venues.
Tom Knight, a puppeteer and multimedia performer from Conway, will perform at the Central Congregational Church, at 93 South Main St., at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. in his second Starry Starry Night appearance.
“It’s always fun to do things on New Year’s Eve,” he said. “This time of year tends to be a little bit slower for me, so it’s nice to do some gigs, and there’s just a lot of enthusiasm and excitement that night, so that’s always fun.”
Knight explained he has a musical puppet show comprised of a series of original songs and skits. He said it is very interactive and geared toward children.
A first-time Starry Starry Night performer will be Brie’s Balloons, Aubrey Fournier’s balloon-twist services company, which will be set up at Stage on Main, located at 17 South Main St., at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. The audience can ask for certain balloon animals, including balloons related to Starry Starry Night.
“This will be my first year sharing New Year’s Eve cheer through balloon twisting,” Fournier wrote in an email. “I am excited to meet so many families from Orange and neighboring towns. I will have star balloons and many [New Year’s Eve] balloon designs, such as bracelets, headbands and wands.”
She explained Brie’s Balloons was born in July 2023, after having left her job as a board-certified behavior analyst to care for her youngest child, who has some medical needs.
“During this time, my oldest daughter knew just what I needed to get through this time, and she introduced me to twisting balloon animals, due to her persistence of asking for balloon animals for her birthday,” Fourner said. “I had so much fun bonding with my girls through making balloons for them. Weekly sword fights became our thing, and my days were so much brighter and happier!”
Verheyen and Hatstat mentioned that the ice sculptures in Memorial Park are so popular that a third sculptor was recruited to add quantity and variety.
But, Verheyen said, Starry Starry Night has something for everyone.
“I like the fact that you see multigenerational families interacting, having a blast on New Year’s Eve together,” she said. “That’s what I like.”
Starry Starry Night was created in 1996 by Manuel King and two other community members after King and his wife, Mary, were inspired by First Night events in Hartford and Boston and wanted to bring a cultural New Year’s Eve event to their hometown. The event is family-friendly and alcohol-free.
More information is available at starrystarrynight.org.