Fireworks lit the sky above Thomson Park as North Bay families rang in 2025.
The event, organized by the Families First Committee, was a hit this year with over 4,000 people coming out to celebrate. The family friendly night allows the younger kids to have a fun New Year celebration and still get home for a decent bedtime.
Wendy Prieur, chair of the Families First Committee, said “It’s a great community event.”
Indeed, the fun took place within Memorial Gardens, with facepainting, a magic show, skating, and a reptile show. Most of the kids had “2025” painted on their faces (lots of adults, too), many had party hats, and the truly lucky ones had noisemakers to heighten the festivities.
Prieur chaired the organizing committee for 28 years and has been involved for longer. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the event, which culminates in an epic fireworks show behind the arena in Thomson Park.
Prieur noted, “I love having the event for the people, especially after Christmas. It’s fun, and it really emphasizes the importance of spending time with the family. It’s a very safe environment and it has such a beautiful community spirit, too.”
“There’s just magic that’s always been involved in Families First,” she added.
Emma Lavery, who was working the Sellebration Photo Booth, noted this was her first Families First New Years Event celebration. She summed it up as “So much fun. There are so many little kids having a blast.”
Lavery was set up next to the Gateway Theatre Guild, who had a costume station for people to dress up before their photos.
Around 8:30 p.m. people started making their way to the park. Mother Nature cooperated, and for a New Year’s Eve the temperature was practically balmy, hovering around -2 degrees. Folks found their spots near the fence behind the arena, and at nine on the dot the first of many fireworks erupted above the crowd.
Prieur emphasized, “Families love it. We have people who have been coming here since they were little, and now they’re coming with their kids. It’s amazing. It’s just truly inspiring.”
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
