23rd  Starry Starry Night celebration for family fun in Orange

ORANGE — The Orange Revitalization Partnership's Starry Starry Night Committee continues its festive tradition with the 23rd year of free family fun bringing in the new year in downtown Orange. With the help of many generous local donors, participants, and volunteers, New Years Eve in downtown Orange is set to be a night to remember. Beginning at 6 p.m. festival-goers can take a hayride around town, warm up by the bonfire, and view amazing ice sculptures at Memorial Park.

Revelers will have a choice of six heated venues showcasing an array of performers and entertainers. This year the venues include; Orange Town Hall, The Universalist Church, The Mission Covenant Church, The United Methodist Church, The Dance Studio of Orange, and the Congregational Church.

There will be plenty of opportunities to warm up at this year's newest addition — the Warming Station, located at 13 South Main Street. The Mahar Pep Band and other performers will entertain at the Warming Station throughout the night. The Salvation Army has also joined Starry Starry Night this year, and will be on hand with their Canteen and warm beverages on South Main Street in front of the old Butterfield School building. Boy Scouts Troop 1837 will distribute hot cocoa as usual in front of the Fire Station by Memorial Park, weather-permitting. If the hayrides are cancelled due to weather then the Boy Scouts will be in the Town Hall. The night will end with the Parade of Stars from Town Hall down to Memorial Park where everyone will be able to view the fireworks display light up the sky. Feel free to make your own star to carry in the parade or borrow one of the many stars that will be in front of Town Hall. More information can be found at www.starrystarrynight.org

Orange Selectman Tom Smith will announce the winner of the downtown Orange Lamppost Contest at 5:50 p.m. at Town Hall right before the first show.Performers include:

Congregational Church — 6-6:45 p.m. & 8-8:45 p.m.

Jack Arnot and Janet Paoletti will be lighting up the stage with their musical talent and comedic digressions. Janet is a local church musician, teacher, and musical theater accompanist. Jack is a long-time entertainer, actor, and Tenor. Their two-person variety show will be entertaining audiences with Italian pieces, vaudeville from minstrel shows, show tunes, and musical numbers.

Congregational Church — 7-7:45 p.m. & 9-9:45 p.m.

Kevin is a jazz guitar player. He performs by himself with digital accompaniments, The effect is of a quartet with several voices. It was quoted that people "truly enjoy his music and always race about him for days after." If you're in the mood for some truly unique talent, stop and see Kevin Jones and iBand.

United Methodist Church — 6-6:45 p.m. & 8-8:45 p.m.

The Inside/Out Dance Company performs with emotional depth, physical power, and crowd-pleasing fun. Based at the dance studio in Orange, the company's 39 members are dance ambassadors, performing concert length choreography of ballet, modern, jazz, tap, and hip-hop.

United Methodist Church — 7-7:45 p.m. & 9-9:45 p.m.

That's a "Good wun"

Come in and out of the cold and gather around a winter "campfire" to warm your heart, mind, and Imagination with songs and stories from Master Storyteller, Todd Goodwin. He will present a family-friendly program for "campers" of all ages.

Mission Covenant Church — 6-6:45 p.m. & 8- 8:45 p.m.

Tony Funches, former lead singer of The Platters vocal group has performed all over the world and United States. He has a wonderful love for his audience and a special ability to share his amazing voice and love to all. The Platters performed songs such as Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, Only You, and many more.

Mission Covenant Church — 7-7:45 p.m. & 9-9:45 p.m.

Them Guys consists of Timothy Britt and Carolyn Salls. They're not afraid to let loose vocally. This powerhouse duo does songs from every genre and isn't afraid to do requests on the spot. Common ground is found in classic rock and oldies. You may have also seen them in other local bands.

Universalist Church — 6-6:45 p.m. & 8-8:45 p.m.

Legacy is a multi-talented, diverse group of musicians with unique talents. They blend their own special arrangements, tempos, and rhythms to bring back the great music of the 30's, 40's, and 50's to a wide variety of listeners. Their music, interjected with moments of humor, will make you want to laugh and tap your feet to their every performance.

Universalist Church — 7-7:45 p.m. & 9-9:45 p.m.

THEATRIX is a barbershop quartet that hails from the Worcester area. They got their start appearing in a local production of My Fair Lady and decided to keep singing together after the show closed. Since then they have appeared in multiple theatrical productions together and separately from Music Man to Light in the Piazza. Please enjoy their whimsical approach to this beautiful American art form.

Dance Studio — 6-6:45 p.m. & 8- 8:45 p.m.

Enjoy an evening with this award-winning master of Close-up and Parlor Magic. Be prepared to volunteer, laugh, and have fun with Ed’s unique mix of mystery, comedy, and magic. And don’t miss his Close-up Street Magic as he strolls through Down Town Orange between his indoor performances.

(Hakkinen is replacing Linda Peck as Mary Poppins, who is advertised in the programs)

Dance Studio — 7-7:45 p.m. & 9-9:45 p.m.

Come join Mary Poppins' crazy cousin, Mary Pippins as she delights audiences with her eclectic style of storytelling and sing-alongs. This trickster is sure to put a smile on everyone's face.

Town Hall — 6-6:45 p.m. & 8-8:45 p.m.

Deadair Dennis Maler is a Baltimore born, Boston-based comedian, actor, writer, & podcaster known throughout the country. Since 2014 he has founded BostonComedyShows.com, became a writer for DigBoston, and hosts the iTunes podcast So What Do You Really Do? He's funny, loud, abrasively social, and allergy free since 1981.

Town Hall — 7-7:45 p.m. & 9-9:45 p.m.

What started off as an acoustic project is now a 5 piece rock band. With members spanning from all over Massachusetts, they're fueled by their passion of music and providing the audience with quality entertainment and music to cover everyone's eclectic tastes. With artist ranging from Elvis Presley to Michael Jackson they've got a little something for everyone in the crowd

Visit the Boy Scouts near Memorial Park or the Salvation Army Canteen in front of Butterfield School to warm up with free hot cocoa.

Throughout the night ice sculptures will be on display at Memorial Park.

Warm up at our massive bonfire behind the fire station.

Snuggle up on a hayride, and take a trek around downtown.

Join us at 10: p.m. as we carry your own stars or borrow one of ours as we parade from Town Hall to Memorial Park where you can watch the fireworks or stroll around Memorial Park to see the amazing Ice Sculptures.

At 10:15 the fireworks will light up the sky over the Millers River.

This year's festivities are brought to you by Witty’s Funeral Home, Athol Savings Bank, Franklin Worcester Pomona Grange #4, The Law Offices of Pamela E. Oddy, P.C., Whipps, Inc., The L.S. Starrett Company, West River Dental Associates, Hometown Bank, Kimball-Cooke Insurance, Athol Credit Union, Original Tire Company, Heyes Forest Products, Inc., Orange Oil Company, Workers Credit Union, AARP Mount Grace Chapter, Pete’s Tire Barns, Inc., LaFontaine, Oldach and Glenny, P.C., Adams Animal Hospital, Silhouettes, Alex Schwanz, Girardi Distributors, LLC, Keo Milling Cutters, Anthony & Mary-Ann Palmieri, Cornerstone Insurance Agency Inc., Pam & Penny Smith, Richard and Jeanette Hall, R Cee’s Pub, Flowerland, Whittier Plumbing and Heating, Randy’s Truck & Equi p.m.ent Repair, Hume Equi p.m.ent Co., Bethany Lutheran Church, Helene G Brooks, Orange Senior Citizens Club, Pat Larson, Marion E Nason Unity Club, Rose Cottage B+B, MA Cultural Councils (Phillipston Cultural Council, Athol Cultural Council, Orange Cultural Council, Erving Cultural Council, Northfield Cultural Council, New Salem Cultural Council, Petersham Cultural Council, Royalston Cultural Council, Warwick Cultural Council, and Wendell Cultural Council are all past or present sponsors), The Athol Lions, The Orange Lions, The United Arc, The Salvation Army, Rodney Hunt Corporation, The Town of Orange, Orange Graphix, Hamshaw Lumber, The Orange Dance Studio, The Mission Covenant Church, The Orange Congregational Church, The Universalist Church, The United Methodist Church, Adam’s Farm, The Orange Fire Department, The Orange Police Department , and many volunteers.