The choice is yours.
You could stroll the grounds of Monticello hoping to commune with the spirit of Thomas Jefferson, then head farther south to walk in the footsteps of Scarlett O'Hara or dance to the joyous sounds of zydeco music in Louisiana.
From there, you could jet to Scotland to be stirred by the call of bagpipes, head on to Ireland for Celtic songs, and proceed to France's Chartres Cathedral to join the faithful who gather to bask in the spiritual glow of medieval chant.
Or, for $15, you can call off your trip and celebrate New Year's Eve in Maryland's capital city, where First Night Annapolis has arranged for you to experience all of these things and more.
"I think we've put together one of our best programs ever," says Janice Gary, in her fifth year as director of the Annapolis version of what has become an arts-filled celebration held in some 160 cities across the country. "We have more theater than ever before and more family events to go with it. This year, we really do have something for absolutely everyone."
Annapolis' historic district will be packed with entertainers catering to a variety of tastes.
William Barker returns to regale audiences with the wit and wisdom of Thomas Jefferson. Barker, who performs frequently in Colonial Williamsburg, Va., and has been featured in People magazine, performs five half-hour shows at the Masonic Temple.
Early in the day at Halsey Field House on the grounds of the Naval Academy, First Night will present the Wild Zappers, a dance ensemble that blends jazz, hip-hop and pop elements into a unique expressive style. Sign language is incorporated into their dancing, as the participants are deaf. Enthusiastic audience participation is expected - the Zappers teach one and all how to sing and sign at the same time.
Keyboards, pennywhistles, hammered dulcimers, fiddling and Irish songs take center stage at St. Anne's Church, where MoonFire holds forth, while Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas bring the joyful, accordion-dominated sounds of Louisiana to the Halsey Field House.
Devotees of classical music can enjoy pianist Li-Ly Chang, who performs the music of Chopin, Debussy and China's Tan Dun (composer of the score to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) at St. John's College's Great Hall. Trinitas, a vocal trio specializing in spiritual chant from the medieval and Renaissance periods, performs selections from their newly released compact disc, Songs from the Labyrinth, at First Presbyterian Church.
A parade of Caledonian Pipers leads the traditional "March to Midnight" down Main Street to finish an evening that also has seen face painting, slam poetry, fortune telling, "praise dancing," wacky send-ups of Shakespearean dramas, magic performed to swing music, state-of-the-art puppetry and even a hilariously quick one-man account of Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind.
View the panoply of acts, events and show times at First Night's Web site at www.first nightannapolis.org.
As always on this December night, when lines can be long and the air cold, advance planning is crucial. First Nighters are encouraged to visit the Web site, identify the presentations they would most like to attend and organize their itineraries.
First choices should be visited early in the evening. The prospect of standing in lines should encourage arts lovers to wear layered clothing and comfortable shoes.
A $15 button ($10 for children 10 to 12; children under 6 are admitted free) gains its wearer admission to all First Night events. Buttons, which cost $5 more if not bought in advance, are on sale at Giant Food, Borders bookstore, the Historic Annapolis Museum Store at 77 Main Street and via Ticketmaster (410-481-SEAT).
Free shuttle buses will run from Navy-Marine Corps Stadium to the Historic District. Parking in the stadium lot costs $6. The final return trip to the stadium will be at 12:45 a.m.
Information: 410-280-0700.