December 12, 2025

Party Packs and a Free Online Family-Friendly Show: First Night® Buffalo Kicks Off 2026 Celebrations

New Year’s Eve Party Packs available at select Tops Friendly Markets and online for $25, with a portion of proceeds benefitting Oishei Children’s Hospital

BUFFALO, N.Y. (December 12, 2025) – The New Year’s Eve countdown is on, and the Independent Health Foundation is ready to help Western New Yorkers celebrate. The Foundation’s signature program, First Night® Buffalo, returns with its popular Family Party Pack and free online family-friendly show.

Available now for $25 ($80 value) at select Tops Friendly Markets locations and online at www.firstnightbuffalo.org, the Family Party Pack includes festive items and activities for a family of four to celebrate New Year’s Eve at home, including:

Party hats
Glow accessories
Balloons
Noisemakers
Confetti poppers
Disco spotlight
Temporary tattoos
Face paint palette
Coloring banner with crayons
Juggling scarves
2 free kids’ admissions to Explore & More
And more!

Now in its 37th year and sixth year in an online format, First Night^® Buffalo also includes a robust online entertainment lineup with music, dancing, animal shows, and more. All performances will be available for free at www.firstnightbuffalo.org starting December 31, and includes:

Jeff the Animal Guy of Nickel City Reptiles & Exotics
DJ Milk
Jim the Balloon Guy
Drawing with Mallory
Squiggly Art Face Painting
Storytime with Kristine
Master Khechen’s Tae Kwon Do
Characters from Emmalee’s Memories
And more!

“For over 35 years, we’ve been on a mission to help families create unforgettable New Year’s Eve memories, and we are thrilled to keep the magic alive with this year’s First Night^® Buffalo programming,” said Carrie Meyer, Executive Director of the Independent Health Foundation. “This initiative is a true collaboration, bringing together amazing partners, along with entertainers like DJ Milk and Jeff the Animal Guy. We’re excited to deliver high-energy performances for families across Western New York.”

A portion of the proceeds from Party Pack sales will benefit Oishei Children’s Hospital, helping fund critical programs, lifesaving technology, and advance care to achieve the best possible outcomes for moms, kids, and babies in Western New York.

First Night^® Buffalo 2026 is brought to you by the Independent Health Foundation and is sponsored by Independent Health, Tops Friendly Markets, Compu-Mail, LLC, EyeMed, Greyline Outdoor Advertising, NationsBenefits, Prime Theraputics, The Buffalo News, NTT Data, Jamestown Container Companies, 7 News WKBW, and Explore & More, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children’s Museum.