For Kids First Night Chatham 2026-27 (12/31/2026)
Preliminary Schedule subject to change
Bubble Wrap Stomp
Photo: John Markus
Bubble Wrap Stomp
Noisier Than the Noise Parade
A favorite activity of many parents, too! Watch the kids show joy as they break the bubbles and make lots of noise!
A favorite activity of many parents, too! Watch the kids show joy as they break the bubbles and make lots of noise!
From 1PM until there's no more bubble wrap to stomp.
From 1PM until there's no more bubble wrap to stomp.
Community Center Aerobics Room at 1:00 to 3:00 PM (Button-free)
Carnival Caper
Photo: Ron Snider
Carnival Caper
Costumed Road Race
A costumed road race, sponsored by the Chatham Squire. Register, show off your costume, and race for fun!
A costumed road race, from the Chatham Squire to the Lighthouse and back, sponsored by the Chatham Squire. Register outside the Squire starting at 2 pm; registration fee charged. Costume judging at 2:30 pm; the race starts at 3 pm (a bit under 2 miles round-trip). You can't miss the gorilla in charge. Race registrants get a T-shirt, and beef stew served at the Squire after the race! Spectators line Main Street to cheer on everyone parading down the road in costume - you can run, you can walk, you can hop, skip or jump!
Outside the Squire at 2:00 to 3:30 PM (Button-free)
Chatham Railroad Museum
Chatham Railroad Museum
With Special Displays
A special opening of The Chatham Railroad Museum for First Night Chatham features two special displays
A special opening of The Chatham Railroad Museum for First Night Chatham features two special displays: museum volunteers are operating an "O" gauge train; and a special train themed exhibit of all First Night Chatham buttons, from the earliest to the present, are on display.
The Chatham Railroad Museum is located in the restored 1887 railroad depot that served Chatham for nearly fifty years. Enjoy the museum's many exhibits! Travel back to 1915 when the railroad was a hub of activity portrayed by the diorama of the railroad yard. Imagine riding the 1910 wood sided red caboose, located behind the Museum, which is also open.
The Chatham Railroad Museum is located in the restored 1887 railroad depot that served Chatham for nearly fifty years. Enjoy the museum's many exhibits! Travel back to 1915 when the railroad was a hub of activity portrayed by the diorama of the railroad yard. Imagine riding the 1910 wood sided red caboose, located behind the Museum, which is also open.
Chatham Railroad Museum at 1:00 to 4:00 PM (Button-free)
Cirque du Jour
Cirque du Jour
Everyone’s Favorite Circus
The circus comes to Chatham for one of First Night Chatham's most popular entertainments.
Cirque du Jour has been delighting First Night Chatham audiences since 1999 and they're thrilled to return once again with a spectacular circus show guaranteed to dazzle audiences of all ages! Beloved Ringmaster, Billy Martin, presents an extraordinary lineup of performers, including the lovely Li Liu, all the way from China, and Cape Cod's tallest, silly man, Mr. Jay.
Three performance this year – filled with aerial artistry, daring feats of wonder, laughter, and world-class circus entertainment!
Three performance this year – filled with aerial artistry, daring feats of wonder, laughter, and world-class circus entertainment!
Monomoy Middle School Large Gym at 1:00 PM
Monomoy Middle School Large Gym at 3:00 PM
Monomoy Middle School Large Gym at 5:00 PM
Monomoy Middle School Large Gym at 3:00 PM
Monomoy Middle School Large Gym at 5:00 PM
Face Painting by Punky-Doodles & Friends
Photo: Susan Karchmer
Face Painting by Punky-Doodles & Friends
The face painters love seeing the smiles on the childrens' faces as they look in the mirror after painting.
Punky-Doodles is a professional face painter. She and three friends love putting smiles on peoples faces! They love seeing the smiles on the childrens' faces as they look in the mirror after painting.
Monomoy Middle School Small Gym at 12:30 to 3:30 PM
Fireworks
Photo: Stanlee Wetzel
Fireworks
Spectacular Displays!
Spectacular fireworks after the Noise Parade will be presented for the whole family. New location this year: Oyster Pond.
Spectacular fireworks after the Noise Parade will be presented for the whole family. New location this year: Oyster Pond.
Oyster Pond at 6:30 PM (Button-free)
IllusionQuest
IllusionQuest
Featuring Illusionist David Garrity
An exciting, main-stage, magic and illusion spectacular featuring First Night Chatham favorite Illusionist David Garrity.
“IllusionQuest” is an exciting, main-stage, magic and illusion spectacular! Illusionist David Garrity and his magic team appear, vanish, pass through solid objects and even float people from the audience! The performance also features audience participation, situational comedy and is set to a custom-edited musical score!
Highlights from the performance may include a comical illusion where David's assistant ends up all twisted up; David also teaches a volunteer from the audience how to cut his assistant in half; and “The World's Fastest Illusion” in which time seems to stand still! David Garrity uses these illusionary elements combined with music, pantomime, situation comedy and audience participation to entertain audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
Highlights from the performance may include a comical illusion where David's assistant ends up all twisted up; David also teaches a volunteer from the audience how to cut his assistant in half; and “The World's Fastest Illusion” in which time seems to stand still! David Garrity uses these illusionary elements combined with music, pantomime, situation comedy and audience participation to entertain audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
Kids' Craft Studio
Kids' Craft Studio
Kids craft fascinating stuff, each in their own way. Projects are all child friendly and designed with great creativity. Ages from Pre-K through Elementary.
Get ready to make some noise at the 6 pm Noise Parade on Main St. Stop by the Kids' Craft Studio during the day. Have your child choose from 4 different designs that are kid friendly and fun to make with their own creative touches. Ages from Pre-K through Elementary.
Monomoy Middle School Small Gym at 2:00 to 5:00 PM
Giant Legos & Carnival Games
Giant Legos & Carnival Games
Big games - big fun - for all ages! Giant Legos, Giant Hula Hoop Ring Toss, Inflatable Hose Hockey, and more!
Big games - big fun - for all ages!
• Build with giant life-sized LEGOS! Create life sized structures like rainbows, robots, club houses, thrones, mazes, and more! Only limit is your imagination.
•Giant Hula Hoop Ring Toss Game. Try and throw 3 hula hoops to ring their high score and WIN! How many points do you think you can get?
•Inflatable Hose Hockey! This 12-foot-long interactive inflatable accommodates up to 6 players at a time and is sure to add excitement to your day! Gather your friends to play our newest game.
•And more!
• Build with giant life-sized LEGOS! Create life sized structures like rainbows, robots, club houses, thrones, mazes, and more! Only limit is your imagination.
•Giant Hula Hoop Ring Toss Game. Try and throw 3 hula hoops to ring their high score and WIN! How many points do you think you can get?
•Inflatable Hose Hockey! This 12-foot-long interactive inflatable accommodates up to 6 players at a time and is sure to add excitement to your day! Gather your friends to play our newest game.
•And more!
Monomoy Middle School Small Gym at 12:30 to 5:30 PM
Miniature Golf
Miniature Golf
A classic Cape past-time brought indoors in December!
Mini-golf at First Night Chatham. A classic Cape past-time brought indoors in December!
Putt your way through a full nine holes on the mini golf course at the Community Center Gym – 1 to 5:45 PM! Fun for all ages, each of the BRAND NEW unique golf holes is handcrafted and features classic mini golf obstacles. A classic Cape past-time brought indoors in December!
Community Center Gym at 1:00 to 5:45 PM
Noise Parade
Photo: Ron Snider
Noise Parade
Kids of all ages making lots of noise!
Make noise any way you want, wear silly hats, flash some lights. Walk to see the fireworks at Oyster Pond.
Join the raucous fray! Make noise any way you want.
A police escort leads the parade and no one will be cited for too much noise. Great fun for kids and adults, who often wear silly hats. Start at the corner of Cross and Main at 6 pm, walk to rotary, then continue on to Oyster Pond to see the fireworks!
A police escort leads the parade and no one will be cited for too much noise. Great fun for kids and adults, who often wear silly hats. Start at the corner of Cross and Main at 6 pm, walk to rotary, then continue on to Oyster Pond to see the fireworks!
Town Hall Corner (Main & Cross Streets) at 6:00 PM (Button-free)
Trevor Pearson
Photo: Lux Luminous
Trevor Pearson
Juggler
Fun for all ages! Trevor combines hilarious antics and visually spectacular, award-winning juggling skills.
Trevor Pearson’s interactive juggling show combines hilarious antics and visually spectacular, award-winning juggling skills with a message of self-empowerment. Fun for all ages! Trevor Pearson has been juggling professionally for over 25 years, performing and instructing throughout New England and beyond. He has entertained for a variety of events … circus, stage, parties, corporate, fairs, weddings, memorials, libraries, hootenannies, glass jams, motorcycle rallies, and more! Trevor grew up in Brewster and it was there that he learned to juggle as a teen. Trevor has been inspiring and amusing First Night Chatham audiences for over a decade with the juggling of clubs, rings, balls, boxes, plates, hats, rubber chickens and audience-suggested objects to boot. He might even juggle boots!
Community Center Gym at 1:00 PM
Rock N Roll Racing
Rock N Roll Racing
Rock N Roll Racing, a mini-Nascar race track.
Rock N Roll Racing is a mini-Nascar race track where you drive a car from the side with a steering wheel and throttle.
Monomoy Middle School Small Gym at 12:30 to 5:30 PM
Snowmen Scavenger Hunt
Snowmen Scavenger Hunt
Hiding in Plain Sight on Main St
Find the snowmen around town and win a little prize!
Search for the First Night Chatham snowmen up and down Main Street, on Dec 31st, and win a little prize! Especially for the young ones and the young at heart! Start by getting an entry sheet at First Night Chatham Headquarters.
Frosty the Snowman is looking for his six snowmen friends who are scattered along Main St. Each snowman is holding stickers. When you find one, take a sticker and attach it to your snowmen scavenger hunt card. When you have collected all six stickers, return with your sheet to First Night Chatham Headquarters for your prize!
The Snowmen Scavenger Hunt Card will be available for download and print from here, as of Dec 26th.
Frosty the Snowman is looking for his six snowmen friends who are scattered along Main St. Each snowman is holding stickers. When you find one, take a sticker and attach it to your snowmen scavenger hunt card. When you have collected all six stickers, return with your sheet to First Night Chatham Headquarters for your prize!
The Snowmen Scavenger Hunt Card will be available for download and print from here, as of Dec 26th.
Main Street at 1:00 to 5:00 PM (Button-free)
Toe Jam Puppet Band
Toe Jam Puppet Band
Ultimate Kids Variety Show
Sing and dance along as they entertain with original songs, shadow puppetry, storytelling and just plain old good fun.
The Toe Jam Puppet Band performances are very active, encouraging kids and parents to sing and dance along with the band as they entertain with a unique combination of original songs, masterful shadow puppetry, storytelling and just plain old good fun.
Town Photo
Photo: Spencer Kennard
Town Photo
Where It All Starts
Come with family & friends. Buy the photo or see it online. A whole-town event!
Important! Please use front gate only !
Show up with your family and friends and pets to pose for the Town Photo. Start First Night Chatham with a wave at the camera and a smile on your face. The photo will be available at the Chatham CVS store for purchase. A panorama deep-zoom photo will also be posted on the First Night Chatham website. Have fun zooming in to see if you blinked, check out who was there, and just enjoy actually seeing your lovely smile up close.Chatham Lighthouse Grounds at Noon (Button-free)