C'Ville First Night Could Be Last--NBC29

The future of Charlottesville's First Night celebration is in serious question.

Donations to the annual event are down 50 percent from two years ago, and if the trend continues the party could soon be over.

Charlottesville's First Night team plans a year in advance for the new year's party on the downtown mall. It's an event with a price tag in the tens of thousands that in a tough economy is getting harder and harder to pull off.

First Night Executive Director Barbara Lundgren knows what makes the Charlottesville party special. "We can go from one end of the mall to the other and just find something for everyone."

That may not be the case for long. Donations for the annual New Year's celebration on the downtown mall have plummeted from $24,000 to $12,000 in the last two years. While the show will go on to ring in 2010, the trend does not look good for 2011.

Lundgren says, "It means that we may not be returning in the coming years, we are very much dependent on these donations, these sponsorships and these button sales."

Charlottesville's First Night festivities have been around for 28 years. If the party goes dark, Charlottesville's tourism dollars could take a hit.

Kurt Burkhart is with the Charlottesville Albemarle Visitors Bureau. "You've got a number of businesses that will take full advantage of that one visitor, and multiply that out ten-fold, 100-fold, and you can start to realize the economic impact."

In a good year the event draws 6,000 guests. That number would have to jump to 10,000 this year to keep first night finances on track for success.

Lundgren fears if the money doesn't come in, and fast, it could be the last.

"People are out there for us, but we still do need the cash to run this operation."

Tickets for this year's first night go on sale December 5th.