Kimmel Center Hosts 10th Anniversary New Year’s Day Celebration

The Kimmel Center concludes its Free at the Kimmel 10th Anniversary Celebration with New Year's Day Celebration, January 1, 10am to 6pm, including free family-friendly entertainment, arts and crafts for the kids, festive Wolfgang Puck fare, and views of the Mummers Parade for families and friends to enjoy.

WHAT: The Kimmel Center rings in the New Year with a free indoor 2012 New Year's Day Celebration. Program line-up includes:

10am – 6pm: Resolution Wall: post this year's resolutions for all to
see
10:30am – 3:30pm: Kid's Festivities: face painting, crafts and balloon animals
plus the Greater Philadelphia Paper Pholders with origami
designs for all ages!
10:30am – 2:30pm: Stilt walkers on display
11:00am: Vanessa Trien (PNC Grow Up Great Concert)
12:30pm: Steve Pullara & His Cool Beans (PNC Grow Up Great
Concert)
2:00pm: Broadway Dreams Foundation: Celebrating Broadway!
3:30pm: Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble

WHEN: Sunday, January 1, 2012 from 10am to 6pm

WHERE: Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Commonwealth Plaza
Broad and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia, Pa. http://www.kimmelcenter.org/

Wolfgang Puck will take part in the Kimmel Center's 10th Anniversary festivities by offering a few specialty items for purchase during all free Plaza performances. For the adults: colorful Peppermint Martinis as well as Snowflake Martinis; For younger guests: Pigs in a Blanket (miniature hot dogs wrapped in puff pastry) and Candy Cane Cocoa (hot chocolate with whipped cream and bits of real peppermint candy.

To celebrate the Kimmel Center's 10th Anniversary and the arrival of 2012, Kimmel Center Presents will be providing ticket giveaways at the end of each free performance in the Plaza, and on Facebook and Twitter, with opportunities to win tickets to: Philadanco's spring performance of The Philadelphia Connection; Elegy for Young Lovers, a co-presentation of Curtis Opera Theatre, Opera Company of Philadelphia and Kimmel Center Presents; and select Broadway and Kimmel Center Presents performances.

Balloon Artist & Face Painter (10:30pm to 3:30pm) Bring the kids for balloon sculptures courtesy of Black Cat Balloon Company, face painting, and crafts for everyone to enjoy! Don't miss our stilt walking and juggling master Kris Clayton!

Greater Philadelphia Paper Pholders (10:30pm to 3:30pm) All ages! Learn how to make your own origami paper craft with the help of the The Greater Philadelphia Paper Pholders!

Vanessa Trien (11am - 12pm) Boston-based singer-songwriter and children's performer, Vanessa Trien, has become a local rock star among the young and young at heart. The "Nessa Groupies" sing and dance in the aisles at her packed shows and can't get enough of her two award-winning children's CDs, Carnival Day and Hot Air Balloon. As BostonChildrensMusic.com puts it, "Vanessa's shows are perfect. It's hard to explain and I can't quite put my finger on what it is they do differently, but whatever it is, it really gets the kids (and parents) excited!'
vanessatrien.com Sponsored by the PNC Grow Up Great concert series

Steve Pullara & His Cool Beans (12:30pm - 1:30pm) There is something about a Steve Pullara show that connects with kids in a special way. Maybe it's the infectious joy in his performance. Maybe it's the way he brings together music and art and kids. Maybe it's the good feeling he gives their parents. Or, it could be his love for all things Italian! No matter what it is, you can be sure that Steve Pullara & The Cool Beans Band are always a friendly, fun experience for the entire family! Sponsored by the PNC Grow Up Great concert series
Steve Pullara has received national acclaim and even recently received his second consecutive Grammy nomination. Upon the release of his latest hit CD, All About Bullies… Big And Small, Steve Pullara & His Cool Beans will undoubtedly delight within the milieu of his musical home, the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.
coolbeansmusic.com

Broadway Dreams Foundation: Celebrating Broadway! (2pm - 3pm)
Students from the Broadway Dreams Foundation Summer Performing Arts Intensive program return to the Kimmel Center to celebrate Broadway Classics. Watch tomorrow's stars perform numbers from Broadway shows such as, Hair, West Side Story, Memphis and Beauty and the Beast!
mybroadwaydreams.com

Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble (3:30pm - 4:30pm)
Headquartered in Camden NJ, Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble has grown to be one of the largest professional authentic and traditional African Dance & Drum Ensembles in the United States. The Ensemble's identity and signature, which include five generations of performers, represent an energetic and enchanting interpretation of the beauty of family performing traditional African songs, instruments, dance and drum.
unitycommunity.com