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16 performers to grace First Night Saranac Lake

Alex Torres and his Latin Orchestra, shown here performing in Saranac Lake in 2018, will bring their salsa stylings to First Night Saranac Lake. (Enterprise photo — Peter Crowley)

SARANAC LAKE — From Latin rhythms to folk melodies, First Night Saranac Lake offers a wide range of ways to ring in the new year.

The all-ages New Year’s Eve celebration, which has been a highlight of this Adirondack village’s calendar since 2006, will have 16 performers at nine venues on Dec. 31.

Half of those acts are new to this festival: Alex Torres and his Latin Orchestra, the Mammals, Anna Tivel, Sam Moss, the Old Main, contra dancing with Tamarack, family folk band Animal Crackers and the Celtic trio of Araki, Raney and Waickman.

The other half of this year’s performers are returning favorites: Joe Weigand and his Teddy Roosevelt show, Jeff Boyer’s Bubble Trouble show, stand-up comedy by Moody McCarthy, improv comedy by Completely Stranded, folk music by Peggy Lynn and Dan Duggan, flamenco guitarist Maria Zemantauski (this time in a duo with mandolinist Sten Isachsen), clown comedy by LoonWorks and historic films of Saranac Lake presented by Jim Griebsch.

Alex Torres and his Latin Orchestra are well known in upstate New York for getting a crowd up and dancing to their Afro-Caribbean rhythms. Formed in 1980 in the Mohawk Valley, this 12-piece orchestra is led by the Bronx-born bassist Torres. They have played in Saranac Lake before but not at First Night.

The Mammals have also performed in Saranac Lake, under the name the Mike & Ruthy Band. Husband and wife Mike Merenda and Ruth Ungar lead the Catskills-based folk-rock group, whose performances are a combination of anthem, intimacy and good family fun.

Anna Tivel is a singer-songwriter from Portland, Oregon, who gravitates toward the quiet stories of ordinary life that connect with listeners.

President Teddy Roosevelt is brought to life by Joe Weigand, whose vibrant appearances as the 26th president have entertained and informed audiences from the Adirondacks to the White House.

Read more about this year’s First Night performers at http://firstnightsaranaclake.org/performers.html.

An admission button for adults (19 and older) costs $15 in advance or $20 the day of the show. A teen button costs $10, and children 12 and under are admitted free of charge.

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