Free First Night Fun in Wilmington

To kick off 2010, the City of Wilmington is offering residents a bargain with free admission to its First Night Celebration.

To kick off 2010, the City of Wilmington is offering residents a bargain.

For the first time ever, the City of Wilmington is offering free admission for its First Night Celebration.

The celebration to ring in the new year started 17 years ago with family centered entertainment in and around Rodney Square.  Starting at 6 p.m. people can watch performances by several dance groups, or lace up some ice skates for a few glides on an artificial rink.

The kids can burn off some energy on a moon bounce and trampoline (King St. between 10th & 11th) and Jack the Balloon Man may just cross your path and offer an inflatable creation.

There are plenty of free parking spots as well at the Wilmington Parking Authority’s 8th and Orange Street lot, and the DoubleTree garage on the 700 block of King Street.

Colonial Parking also has complementary parking at seven lots including 10th and Washington, and 6th and Shipley.

And since this is family-oriented fun, you don’t have to keep the kids up until midnight for the grand finale.  You can watch fireworks over Rodney Square at 10 p.m.