Be a Venue Volunteer

First Night Chatham is “All Volunteer”

First Night Chatham depends on the participation of volunteers – they make the celebration possible. On Dec 31st, 2023, more than 250 volunteers helped the day run smoothly at 20 venues that hosted over 90 performances and activities.

Please email our volunteer coordinator directly, at

Volunteers - you can view the preliminary schedule on the Schedule Charts page.

Venue Volunteers work at performance venues during First Night Chatham, checking buttons at the door, welcoming and directing patrons to where the seats are, or where the lines are, and generally being the ambassadors of good will on behalf of First Night Chatham.

By investing as little as a few hours on one day of the year, you can help sustain the First Night Chatham tradition. We welcome new volunteers, and look forward to seeing many returning volunteers every year.

Thanks to all who have volunteered this year. Response has been great !!

But .. . We still have plenty of open slots and need your support to fill out the volunteer roster. See our new Volunteer Openings & Instructions page (updated weekly) for a list. Thanks for your help !! We still need volunteers for some 10 PM and 11 PM slots, but your support has filled up the rest of the volunteer schedule. Thanks !!

You may use the email address below to let our volunteer coordinator know of your interest; respond early so you can let us know your preferred assignment. You can check out the Preliminary schedule of events on the Program Schedule Chart page.

And if you have friends who would like to volunteer, please let us know.

Sending an email will start the conversation; you will be contacted by the volunteer coordinator, and you’ll have the opportunity to discuss assignments and venue choices.

Our Volunteer Coordinators are Sally Stratman and Pam Williams.

Please email our volunteer coordinator directly, at

We encourage our volunteers to sign up for more than one shift, either at the same site or at a different venue. Think of it as opportunity to enjoy being inside a nice warm venue without standing in line!

Volunteers for First Night Chatham 2025 will be invited to attend an orientation meeting in the last week of December. at the United Methodist Church, Main Street at Cross Street, on Thursday, December 29th, 2016, at 5:00 PM. As always, our volunteers will be treated to pizza and beverages at this meeting. Police and Fire Department representatives will brief volunteers on Public Safety, and we discuss the volunteer instructions for First Night Chatham and answer questions. The performance and event schedule will also be available for review, in case anyone forgets where they’ve volunteered to be.

We treat our patrons well, and we treat our volunteers even better. You will be invited to our special Volunteers Thank You Party in mid-January.