PENTA Celebrates Five Years of Partnership with First Night

WORCESTER, MA _ For the last 30 years, nearly a million people from Massachusetts and parts of Rhode Island have hit the streets of Worcester to celebrate the coming New Year and partake in a vast array of festivities hosted by the non-profit organization, First Night Worcester.

This longstanding celebration that people look forward to each year was originally started by the parent organization FirstNightUSA, which began in Boston and came into existence in 1976 as a closing event to the year-long bicentennial celebration. Over the years, other cities including Worcester launched their own First Night celebrations, and by the millennium, there were approximately 250 First Night cities in the United States, Canada and New Zealand.

Times have changed and today there are only 75 First Nights still in existence, and First Night Worcester is in the forefront as the second oldest in the country. Though fiscal adversities have forced many other First Nights across the globe to close, First Night Worcester has persevered.

This year, First Night Worcester boasts another impressive line-up of fun including music groups, dancers, storytellers, entertainers, exotic animals, synchronized swimmers, crafts and more, guaranteed to delight both young and old. Highlights not to be missed this year include Grammy-nominated performer & composer Deborah Henson-Conant, who wows audiences internationally with her electric harp, as well as Master Impressionist Mark Verselli. Rounding out the evening at the Hanover Theatre from 10 p.m. to midnight will be David Foster & the Mohegan Sun All Stars, with legendary Blues Brother Matt “Guitar” Murphy and the Uptown Horns.

The Worcester community has been very supportive to First Night Worcester over the years and the organization has delivered numerous stellar celebrations to help ring in the New Year.

Five years ago First Night Worcester partnered with PENTA Communications, Inc., an integrated marketing firm out of Westborough, MA.

PENTA Communications, Inc. has provided a true marketing partnership to First Night Worcester with a wide range of services to help the Organization prosper and reach its target audiences. Working in a spirited collaboration with First Night Worcester, PENTA has helped the Organization through a myriad of advertising, marketing, public relations and web development services.

“The professional prowess that PENTA Communications, Inc. provides for First Night Worcester eliminates any and all of our marketing concerns. This is no small accomplishment for our organization, which requires we reach audiences in the tens of thousands annually,” said Joyce Kressler, executive director of First Night Worcester.

Over the five year period that PENTA Communications, Inc. has partnered with First Night Worcester, one of the highlights for both organizations was in 2008, when the agency was honored by First Night International and received a Prism Award for best web design out of all First Night websites in the world.

“The depth of PENTA’s creative services on our behalf is also impressive from website and print design to public relations, every project is beautifully executed and on time,” Kressler said. “What perhaps is even more remarkable is that over the five years – even as we continue to increase the volume of work – our PENTA team consistently exceeds our expectations.”

Each year First Night Worcester looks to bring exciting performers and innovative programs to the region, and each year, PENTA helps the organization, and many others in the community through its community give-back program.

In 2011 alone, PENTA Communications, Inc. has provided tremendous support to various nonprofit organizations in our region to help foster their sustainability and growth. Over the past five years, PENTA has donated nearly $1 million in probono support to numerous organizations in our region including the arts community, organizations that support economic development, health and wellness, and those that support education, scholarships, and at-risk youth and adults.

“One of PENTA’s core values as an organization is to give back to those communities where we have the opportunity to do business, and to those communities where our employees live,” said Deborah Penta, CEO of PENTA Communications, Inc. “We have enjoyed our marketing partnership with First Night Worcester as it has given us the opportunity to reach out and give back to an organization that brings people from all walks of life together for an incredible celebration of the arts.”

With only 75 First Nights still operating, Kressler noted that this only adds to the importance PENTA Communications, Inc. plays in a non-profit world.

“The challenges to a small organization like First Night Worcester can be daunting, however, the services PENTA Communications, Inc. provides remove at least one layer of angst,” Kressler added.

For more information on First Night Worcester 2012, visit www.firstnightworcester.org.