New festival planned to replace First Night Saratoga

First on 13 — Saratoga Springs is starting a new New Year’s festival to replace its once-popular First Night celebration.  

NewsChannel 13 has learned that there will be a big celebration featuring more than a dozen musical acts, some of them nationally known. Bands will perform throughout the city, with the headliners playing at the City Center. People will be able to buy all-access badges and participate in a music crawl.

There will even be fireworks to ring in the New Year.

Unlike First Night, alcohol will be available at some venues.

The New Year Fest will take place on both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, with a 5K Road Race and a Sunday Fun Day for adults on Jan. 1.

The Chamber of Commerce, the City Center, and Discover Saratoga is putting on New Year Fest. The city of Saratoga Springs is also sponsoring the event.

City Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran would only confirm Tuesday that a big festival is being planned, but said he couldn’t offer details about the acts or the venues.  

Organizers are planning a big kick-off event next week, when they’ll announce many of the acts they’ve lined up.