FIRST NIGHT SALES vs

THE FIRST NIGHT SANTA CRUZ EVENT IS KEEPING ITS HEAD ABOVE WATER, EVEN AFTER RAIN DAMPENED THE EVENT. THE DOWNTOWN NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY SOLD ABOUT 45 HUNDRED BUTTONS THIS YEAR, COMPARED WITH 53 HUNDRED LAST YEAR. MOST CELEBRANTS CARRIED UMBRELLAS AND DASHED BETWEEN EVENTS AT THE ALCOHOL-FREE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY CELEBRATION. ORGANIZERS BELIEVE THEY WOULD HAVE SURPASSED LAST YEAR'S NUMBERS BY SEVERAL THOUSAND, IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE RAIN. THIS YEAR FIRST NIGHT MONTEREY SOLD ABOUT 9 THOUSAND BUTTONS, SLIGHTLY FEWER THAN LAST YEAR ALSO.