SECOND ‘FIRST’ : Fullerton Celebrates Another New Year

First Night Fullerton will be back for its second go-round tonight.

Launched last year as an arts-oriented, nonalcoholic alternative to traditional New Year’s Eve festivities, it drew an estimated 10,000 people to the streets of downtown Fullerton, which were blocked to motor traffic.

This year, the formula remains largely the same. The event will rely less on big names (the Del Rubio Triplets again are the headliners) than on variety: Almost 100 events and performances will be staged on streets, sidewalks, parking lots and in buildings.

The celebration begins at 7 p.m. with the People’s Procession, a parade in which all First Night participants are invited to take part.

At midnight, a fireworks show will herald the arrival of 1993.

In between, a tightly-packed schedule of events will feature everything from jazz to storytelling to chamber ballet.

Performers will include ragtime pianist Richard Zimmerman, escape artist Mike Wong, comedian Jeff Wirth, bilingual poets Gloria Alvarez and Manuel Luna, the Alcantar Brothers musical duo and the Fullerton Chinese Cultural Assn. Also on tap are such children’s activities and attractions as face painting and a petting zoo. And yes, Connie Sanchez, the woman who spins wool from live Angora rabbits, will be back.

It’s all inspired by First Night festivities in Boston, which started in 1976 and since have been adopted by many other cities, mostly in the East.

Fullerton met its goal of 10,000 participants last year, although there was a problem with crashers (people are asked to buy buttons--$5 in advance, $7 at the site--good for admission to all First Night events).

More button-sale booths will be set up this year to help cut down on the problem, according to Ann Mottola, the city’s special events coordinator. (It’s possible to buy advance buttons today, through 4 p.m. at the Fullerton Museum Center, 301 N. Pomona Ave.).

Last year, even with the crashers, the city was able to pay half of the cost of First Night through admission revenues; officials hope this year to increase that to 75%.

So far, advance sales are strong. “The phone,” says Mottola, “is ringing off the hook.”

Motorists note: All of Pomona Avenue and portions of Wilshire and Amerige avenues between Harbor Boulevard and Pomona Avenue will be closed from 8 a.m. today until 2 a.m. Friday. Harbor Boulevard between Chapman and Commonwealth avenues will be closed from 6 p.m. today until 1 a.m. Friday.

Free parking for First Night Fullerton will be provided at several locations: the Transportation Center parking structure on Pomona Avenue south of Commonwealth Avenue; the Plummer Auditorium parking structure on the southwest corner of Lemon Street and Chapman Avenue; and at public parking lots on Amerige Avenue, west of Harbor Boulevard.