Out with the Old, In with the New!

As the clock winds down to the new year, our community gathers not just to mark the passage of time but to visibly shape the year ahead. At First Night State College, our resolution sculptures—like the bell-ringing “First Bells,” the luminous “Edison’s Clothesline,” the mythic “First Night Phoenix” and the playful “Wheels of Fate”—offer more than artistic display. They serve as communal canvases where we publicly declare our hopes, dreams and commitments for the New Year.

Writing a resolution and affixing it beside others reminds us that although our lives might differ in dress, food or routine, the desire to begin anew, to make the coming year better than the one behind us, is something we all share.

Quest for the Resolution Chest

Sponsored by ClearWater Conservancy’s Centred Outdoors program
10:00 am – 10:00 pm; Sidney Friedman Park

Embark on a self-guided adventure to discover the perfect New Year’s resolution! Your journey begins at ClearWater Conservancy’s Centred Outdoors hiking boot ice sculpture in Sidney Friedman Park. Follow the clues as you explore a few more downtown spaces and make your way to the hidden Resolution Chest. Those who reach the chest and share a resolution they truly intend to “stick” to in 2026 will receive a special prize!

The entire quest is less than half a mile and can be completed in about 15–20 minutes—fun, inspiring, and just the right length to spark your New Year’s intentions.

First Bells

Noon – 10:00 pm; Sidney Friedman Park

First Bells is a sound sculpture installation made of lots of bells and one big gong. You can make a joyous noise as you ring in the New Year.

Edison’s Clothesline

Sponsored by The Village at Penn State
Noon – 10:00 pm; South Allen Street

In the words of artist Robert Villamagna: During my teenage years my family lived in a row house in a small town on the Ohio River. The houses had been built for employees of a now defunct steel mill. The back yards butted up against one another and most of the yards contained clothes lines. The clothes lines consisted of four sections of rope stretched across two T-shaped poles made from iron pipe.

The hanging of laundry to dry had a strong social aspect to it as women talked across the yards to one another while hanging their clothes. In addition, you got to see all the neighbors’ wardrobes. I duplicated this design in my sculpture, replacing wet clothing with resolutions written on silvery paper discs. I used the white lights as a symbol of hope for the New Year. As the women of my home town shared news while at the clothesline, we share resolutions for the New Year at our updated clothesline. As my old neighbors could see everyone’s laundry, today we can see, enjoy, and learn from everyone’s resolutions for the New Year.

Wheels of Fate

Noon – 10:00 pm; Mayor Welch Plaza

So, you say you want a “resolution”? Well, spin the “wheels of fate” and find the answers to all your New Year’s questions. Will you be happy, find love, money or a new career? The wheels tell all! In Latin, Rota Fortunae, “The Wheel of Fate” is a concept in ancient and medieval philosophy referring to the capricious nature of Fate. The wheel belongs to the goddess Fortuna, who spins it, changing the positions of those on the wheel – some suffer great misfortune, others win great things. Step up, take a spin and see if the wheel smiles upon you.

Created by Pittsburgh artist, Bill Godfrey, the Wheels of Fate invite you to step up and take a chance on the New Year!

The Bucket List

Noon – 10:00 pm; Blue Brick Theatre

A bucket list is a reminder of the experiences, ambitions, and adventures we hope to pursue in our lifetime—those meaningful things we want to do “before we kick the bucket.” This simple but powerful resolution sculpture invites you to pause and consider what truly matters to you. Do you dream of writing a novel? Climbing a mountain? Learning to fly? Perfecting your grandmother’s legendary chocolate cake? Speaking Japanese?

Add one of your own aspirations to the list, and take a moment to be inspired by the hopes and dreams your friends and neighbors have shared.

The First Night Phoenix

Sponsored by Penn State Federal Credit Union
Noon – 10:00 pm; State College Municipal Building Lobby

Welcome the New Year by tying your hopes, dreams, and even a few regrets to the sweeping tail of the rising Phoenix. This fiery, mythical bird has long symbolized renewal—continually emerging from its own ashes to begin life anew. The sacred Firebird appears in ancient mythologies from Persia, Greece, Rome, Egypt, and China, and soared again in the twentieth century through Igor Stravinsky’s celebrated ballet The Firebird and Pontiac’s iconic muscle car.

Designed and built by Bill Godfrey, our First Night Phoenix invites you to embrace your own fresh start while helping others do the same. Penn State Federal Credit Union encourages First Night visitors to bring non-perishable food items to the Phoenix sculpture this year. All donations will support the State College Food Bank and help our community rise together in 2026.

New Year, New Journey

Sponsored by Reliance Bank
Noon – 10:00 pm; South Allen Street

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” wrote the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu—and the New Year is the perfect moment to take yours. Whether you dream of discovering hidden gems in your own backyard or venturing to far-flung corners of the world, this resolution sculpture invites you to set your course. Write your travel-inspired resolution on a luggage tag and fasten it to the towering stack of suitcases, adding your hopes to those of fellow explorers. Here’s to fresh horizons and a prosperous journey in the year ahead!

Fire Sculptures

Sponsored by Karch Auto
5:00 pm – 10:00 pm; Sidney Friedman Park

The First Night State College Fire Barrels offer a warm and symbolic way to bring closure to the resolutions you made for 2025. Write last year’s goals—whether met, forgotten, or transformed—on a small piece of wood and cast it into the flames. As your words disappear into the fire, you’re invited to let go of the past and welcome the clean slate the New Year brings. It’s a reflective ritual, a fresh start, and a chance to warm your fingers all at once.

The Burning Man

Noon – 9:45 pm; State College Municipal Building Lobby
10:00 pm; Sidney Friedman Park

Inspired by the iconic performance art festival, the Burning Man Resolution Sculpture returns each year to First Night State College as a powerful symbol of reflection and release. Throughout the evening, he gathers our wishes, regrets, and resolutions left unfinished.

The culmination of the entire First Night celebration comes at 10:00 pm in Sidney Friedman Park, when the Burning Man is ignited. In a spectacular blaze, he transforms from wood and fabric into glowing embers, carrying away the loose ends of the past year and making space for the possibilities of the year ahead. It’s a fiery finale you won’t want to miss.

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