Ten Ways to Party; Some Strategies to Help You Get the Most From First Night Monterey.

Summary

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Don't have any little ones - borrow some - it's one of the best ways to enjoy the night. You'll have as much fun watching as they will making crazy hats and reggae shakers in the Arts Tents along Pacific Street (3:30-4:30pm; 6:30-7:30pm), marching with Mop Top and Grandpa Sparky in the Twilight Parade (from Jefferson to Alvarado, 5:50-6:30pm), wowing at the Grand Illusion Magic Show (Serra Ballroom, 3:30pm and 4:30pm), Bubbles' Balloon Magic (in front of Walgreen's, 7-8:30pm), and the Stilt Walker (Twilight Parade, Custom House Plaza), and singing children's songs and children's world music with Mary Lee Sunseri (Masonic Lodge, 3:30pm, 4:15pm, 5pm) and Juan L. Sanchez (Ferrante Room, 3:15pm, 4pm, 4:45pm), respectively. Plus there's face painting (Custom House Plaza, 4-5:30pm, 7-10pm) and Puppet Theater (Bay Books Deck, 3:15, 4:15pm).

First Night vets may be surprised how many new acts are surfacing in this, the epic event's 13th New Year. The most promising include - but aren't limited to - the Beat Museum Spoken Word Performance with John Allen Cassady (Golden State Theatre, 3:30pm, 4:30pm), the Bay Area's Baldread and the Ragamuffin Crew (Custom House Plaza, 9pm and 10pm), and a lively collaboration between the Dave Workman Band and John "Broadway" Tucker (Colton Hall Lawn, 6:15-8pm). Joni Morris and the After Midnight Band even channel Patsy Cline (Golden State Theatre, 6:30-8:15pm) and The Slowest Ride makes a Nick Drake-Hank Williams-esque sythesis happen (Community Bank Back Lot, 6:15-8:15pm).

The blueprint to bolster your cultural soul heading into '06 goes like this: get henna'd with Katya Madrid (Upstairs, Conference Center, 4-5:30pm, 7-10pm), experiment with Egyptian cane dances and Bedouin sword dances with A Park Avenue Dance Company, then get authentic with the Ayotochtli Aztec Dance Group (Masonic Lodge, 8:45-10:30pm) or the Dramane Kone West African Drumming (Custom House Plaza, 6pm and 8:30pm). Then soak up the anecdotal, humorous and simply incomparable poetry of Ric Masten (Morgan's Coffee & Tea, 6:30-8:30pm). And don't sleep on MC Lars (Wells Fargo Bank, 9-11pm) - this hip-hopper's talented.

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Ten Ways to Party; Some Strategies to Help You Get the Most From First Night Monterey.

Seventy-five performing acts. Thirty venues. One night. And no clue... how to fit it all in.

Fear not - here are 10 strategies to get a handle on the most appropriate party sequence for you and your band of revelers. Mix and match, revise and reject, and follow-up at www.montereyfirstnight.org for more. Just set the tone for a s...

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