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Donors Ensure Boston's First Night Festival Will Go On

Fireworks explode over an native-american themed ice sculpture during  First Night Boston. (Michael Dwyer/AP)
Fireworks explode over an native-american themed ice sculpture during First Night Boston. (Michael Dwyer/AP)

Boston's First Night festival will be ringing in 2014 after all.

A group of donors has ensured that the New Year's event will go on despite the closing of the nonprofit that had organized the annual celebration for 37 years.

The Highland Street Foundation, a Newton-based nonprofit, will be the event's main sponsor after donating $100,000.

"Thanks to the mayor's leadership, we are one of many organizations who have come together to ensure First Night Boston is back again this year," Highland Street Foundation Executive Director Blake Jordan said in a statement.

“The mayor is very pleased that the Highland Street Foundation, who have for 25 years been giving back to the Boston community, will be a part of making sure First Night happens again in our city,” Dot Joyce, a spokeswoman for Mayor Thomas Menino, told The Boston Globe.

First Night Boston announced last June it was closing due to a lack of funds, leaving the future of the New Year's event in limbo.

This program aired on October 9, 2013. The audio for this program is not available.

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