Boston, Providence, New Bedford or Worcester. Area revelers have but to choose the city where they want to ring in the new year.

Celebration committees in each of these cities have organized a lineup of activities and entertainment on Sunday, Dec. 31, that is sure to please revelers of all ages.

Boston

Now in its 31st year, First Night Boston, billed as the country's oldest and largest New Year's Eve arts celebration, welcomes children, families and revelers of all ages to celebrate community and unity through the arts.

The event is alcohol-free and will offer a festival of art, music, dance, ice sculpture, fireworks and more from 1 p.m. to midnight. The event will feature more than 1,000 artists in 250 exhibitions and performances in more than 40 locations in downtown Boston.

The heart of the event, however, is said to be the Grand Procession, which this year will celebrate the theme of "Life on Earth" with participating groups divided into four sections - the natural world, the human world, the mythical world and the wired world.

Each section of the procession will be led by a different piece from the Back Alley Puppet Theatre and Puppeteers Cooperative, whose founders have participated in all 30 previous First Nights in Boston as well.

Led by Mayor Menino, the procession will begin at 5:30 p.m. in front of the Hynes Convention Center and end at Beacon Street.

Among the other event highlights of First Night Boston will be The Holmes Brothers at the Berklee Performance Center, the Flexitoons, New England Anime at MCCA Family Festival at the Hynes and Carolina Chocolate Drops at Emmanuel Church.

Grand finale highlights will include the Verizon Yellow Pages Midnight Fireworks over Boston Harbor, two midnight countdowns at Copley Square and a countdown at the Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common.

All First Night Boston outdoor events are free, and with a $15 First Night button, revelers can gain admission to a variety of indoor performances throughout the day, including theatre, dance, music, visual arts and film. Children under 4 are admitted free to such indoor events.

For a complete schedule of events, including ice sculptures, fireworks, music, dance, theater and family activities, visit www.firstnight.org, and in the program guide, available with button purchase.

For more information, including where to purchase buttons, call 617-542-1399 or send an e-mail to joyce@firstnight.org.

Providence Bright Night Providence, an artist-run New Year's festival, now in its fourth year, will offer entertainment by artists and performers at venues throughout downtown Providence in a family-friendly atmosphere.

From noon to midnight, the festival will feature more than 50 performances at 17 venues.

For the featured attraction of this year's festival, Bright Night Providence is bringing the circus to town. And it's not just any circus, according to Adam Gertsacov, Bright Night's artistic and executive director. "The show, titled the Bright Night Circus of Wonders, will feature national and international circus stars that are guaranteed to thrill, chill, amaze, and entertain audiences of all ages," Gertsacov said.

The Circus of Wonders, in fact, is a circus dream team that was specially created for Bright Night by Gertsacov, who is a professional clown himself and a graduate of Ringling Brother's Clown College, and Chris Allison, a fellow Ringling graduate and the producer of Cirque du Jour, a circus production company based in Connecticut.

The performers in the Circus of Wonders, while not household names, have performed in some of the top national and international circuses, including Big Apple Circus, Ringling Brothers, and Cirque du Soleil, according to Gertsacov.

The Bright Night Circus of Wonders will perform three shows in Providence at the Rhode Island Convention Center, at 6, 8, and 10 p.m. The purchase of a Bright Night ticket (a Tyvek wristband) guarantees admission to one of these performances, plus the more than 50 other performances of the festival.

Another highlight of this year's festival will be a magical element provided by Marc Gilday, a Rhode Island resident and magician who appeared this past summer on NBC's hit show "Americas Got Talent."

Gilday will perform with his latest touring show, which has an ensemble of 20, described as featuring an entertaining mix of vaudeville, musical theatre, virtuoso sleight of hand, and grand illusions.

Gilday and his troupe will perform two shows on New Year's Eve at 6 and 9 p.m. at the VMA Cultural Arts Center in downtown Providence.

Bright Night tickets are $10 before Dec. 31, and $15 day of the event, or four for $50. To order tickets or obtain more information, visit www.brightnight.org or call 401-621-6123 (ArtTixRI).

New Bedford

First Night New Bedford, said to be the fourth oldest First Night celebration in the nation, will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year with an entertainment extravaganza spotlighting outstanding local performers from the area.

The event, a family-oriented, alcohol-free festival that showcases arts and entertainment, will be offered from 5 p.m. to midnight.

Performance venues are located in historic sites of downtown New Bedford, such as the Zeiterion Theater, City Hall, Whaling City National Park.

Among the local talent to be highlighted this year is the popular show band New Image, which organizers say will rock the Zeiterion Theater with their upbeat, high-energy style of Motown and soul.

One of the area's favorite illusionists, Kevin Burgess, with his Totally Magic & Illusion, will also perform at the Zeiterion, where radio personality Evan Rousseau will serve as master of ceremonies for the evening.

Swing dancing by the HepCats and the Bob Hunt Trio will be at The Atrium.

Familiar favorites performing at the Whaling Museum Theater are John Harrison trio with Paul Del Nero and Jackie Santos, featuring Ann Austin, as well the ever popular Matty B and Joe. Jedlie's Magic Circus will also be back to the Whaling Museum by request.

Children's performers Tony Lupo, Hurdy Gurdy & Coco, Captain Jack Sparrow, and the one man circus show, The Great Benafuchi, will light up the New Bedford Public Library with lively and hilarious performances. Internationally renowned Fado Singers Ana and Jose Vinagre will perform at Pilgrim United Church.

The highlight of the evening, however, will be at midnight when the festivities culminate with a grand New Year's countdown with revelers gathering at Custom House Square to herald in 2007, according to First Night President Susan Grace.

"Throughout the night, Custom House Square is the hub of activities leading up to the countdown to midnight when our illuminated whale descends into a burst of fireworks," Grace said. "It's a fabulous way to bring in the New Year with family and friends."

Attendance buttons which provide admission to all New Bedford First Night venues cost $10, and children aged 3 and under are free.

For more information, call First Night President Susan Grace at 508-993-1999 or visit www.firstnightnb.org.

Worcester

First Night Worcester, billed as the single largest New Year's Eve celebration of the arts in Central Massachusetts, will offer more than 100 performances in 20 indoor locations throughout the greater downtown area from 1 p.m. to midnight.

The event will also celebrate its 25th anniversary year, and in a BIG way, according to First Night spokesperson Joyce Kressler.