First Night Raleigh venues are located in the center of downtown beginning on the south end at the BTI Center for the Performing Arts and the Raleigh Convention and Conference Center. Performance sites on the north end of the festival include the North Carolina Museums of History and Natural Sciences and various churches off of Salisbury and Wilmington Streets. Parking decks and surface lots surround the downtown area. Some downtown lots offer a $1 discount in exchange for the parking coupon in the First Night Raleigh 2005 button card.

A. To the Raleigh Convention & Conference Center:
From I-40 East (do not take Wade Ave. exit) take Exit 298 B (South Saunders St.), go 1 mile, then take right fork “to Downtown.” Take a right on “South St.” The BTI Center for the Performing Arts will be on your right. The Convention Center will be on your left. After that if you take a left on Wilmington St., you’ll be near the center of the event, and can park in any of the parking decks listed below.

B. To Moore Square Park/City Market area
From I-40 East (do not take Wade Ave. exit) take Exit 299 (Person St.), take left off exit, go approximately 1 mile. Pass Davie St., cross Martin St., see Moore Square Park on your left. Park anywhere in area, or take next left onto Hargett St., then another left onto Blount. See Moore Square Parking Station on your right.

C. To North Carolina Museums of History and Natural Sciences From I-40 East (do not take Wade Ave. exit) take Exit 298 B (South Saunders St.), go 1 mile, then take right fork to “Downtown.̶l; Continue on South Saunders; it will become McDowell. Continue 9 blocks, take a right onto Jones Street. Within 1 block you will see the Museum of Natural Sciences, go one more block east for surface parking lots.

A. If you are approaching the city on I-40 keep to your left at the I-440 split. Take Exit 299 (Person St.) from the Beltline, take left off exit, go approximately 1 mile. Pass Davie St., cross Martin St., see Moore Square Park on your left. Park anywhere in area, or take next left onto Hargett St., then another left onto Blount St. See Moore Square Parking Station on your right.

OR

B. Take 64 West, which turns into New Bern Ave; New Bern Ave. becomes Edenton St. as you near downtown. Follow Edenton St., take a right onto Wilmington St. for the Museums, or a left just past the State Capitol on Salisbury St., which will take you south to the Convention Center.

Take Hwy. 70 (Glenwood Ave.) all the way until it ends downtown at Morgan St. Take a left onto Morgan. Take a right from Morgan onto Salisbury St. for the Convention Center, or a left onto Wilmington St, for the Museums.

Parking decks and surface lots surround the downtown area. Free parking is available after 6:00pm in many city surface lots and along the streets. Open downtown City lots include Moore Square Station, Wilmington Street Station, City Market and Municipal Decks, Cabarrus Street and Convention Center Decks. will charge a special event rate of $5 on New Year’s Eve. First Night Raleigh attendees will be given a $1.00 discount upon exiting after 6:00pm by presenting a parking coupon from the First Night Raleigh 2005 button card, with a maximum discount of $1.00 per car. Security forces will be provided until 1:00am at Moore Square Station, Convention Center Decks, Cabarrus Street Deck and City Market and Wilmington Street Station. Helpful Hint: Carpool with friends.


Food vendors are located on the Bicentennial Plaza and south of the Convention Center. selling street fare: Kettle Korn, Gyros and Heroes, Hot Dogs and Hamburgers, Polish Sausages, Chicken Tenders, Corn Dogs, Pretzels, Nachos, Sno Cones and Ice Cream, Onion Rings, French Fries and more.

The Red Cross First Aid Center at the Children’s Celebration is located inside the North Carolina Museum of History. The Center moves to the south side of the Convention Center for the evening celebration. This is also the headquarters for lost personal items and misplaced children.

Most performance sites are accessible to people with mobility impairments. Performances will be interpreted for people with hearing impairments and audio described for people with visual impairments.