Cue the cameras for a Hallmark movie, the kind centered on an event that harkens an era gone by; a time when community celebration was all about joy.

We zoom in on the annual town New Year’s Eve festivities which embrace all ages, bring together locals and invite visitors to share in the happiness. It celebrates the arts in every way. And it’s all in a spectacular setting with a quaint and walkable downtown and a beautiful coastal view.

You can experience all this without streaming. Because in Chatham, a quintessential Cape Cod town, a something-for-everyone New Year’s Eve celebration still exists. And just like any good holiday flick portrays, we’re all as welcome as a local for the day.

First Night Chatham (firstnightchatham.com/) was founded in 1991 pretty much the way a movie would script it.

In Scene One, well-known local Marie Williams has an idea: With all the New Year’s celebrations happening in big cities around the country (there are thought to have been more than 400 back in the early 90’s; today it’s less than 30), Williams walked into Puritan Clothing on the main road of town and asked the manager, aptly named Marge, if she thought it was a good idea.

Cut to their flurry of meetings: within weeks they had the backing of the police, fire, and all town officials. By February, they’d formed a full volunteer committee. By late summer they had a line up of artists and events. They began to sell attendee buttons to support the event via a simple card table at Puritan, and on Labor Day Weekend at the height of tourist visits, they placed a Fourth of July Parade float, a car from the annual Cranberry Harvest Festival, and a sign hung from a bridge crossing Route 6 on Labor Day to invite summer visitors back to town for New Year’s Eve.

Fast forward to today. First Night Chatham is not just alive but thriving, and while it’s evolved with the eras since that 1991 start, it stands as a full-on fun, easy to navigate and inviting to all ages celebration. Organizers believe it is one of the last all-ages friendly New Year’s Eve town-wide events standing in the nation.

First Night Chatham could really be called “all day and into the night” Chatham. In its 35th year, it starts off with the annual Town Photo at the Chatham Lighthouse at noon (Lifetime could not build a more perfect backdrop than that), extends all day through the center of town with indoor and outdoor musical performances, art showings, games and special events, gets loud with the “Noise Parade” down Main Street, caps off with fireworks at Veteran’s Field at a totally reasonable 6:30 p.m. (you can tell the kids or convince yourself it’s actually midnight then and wake up refreshed on Jan 1), and then continues for those who want it into the night with more music and special programs.

And it’s all organized by a huge fleet of volunteers. About 60 or so work year round, beginning the process just after New Years. On the day itself, with 11-plus venues active and open, locals put in a total of more than 435 man hours to make it all work.

How to attend? You’ll want to start by purchasing a button (now only available on site), to not only grant you access to certain programs, but to support the community-funded event overall. Then make your plan. Parking is best at the town’s Middle School, where shuttle buses will zip you back and forth. Then study the event schedule on the website and find all the fun things that you want to experience.

There will be just about every kind of music, from the smooth tunes of the Cape’s beloved singer Suede to a jug band, Celtic music, a tribute to Tony Bennett and more.

A new addition this year is the 7 p.m. Taylor Swift dance party at the town’s elementary school.

There’s also face painting, crafts, games, a magician and even a circus to visit.

In between, Chatham is alive with shops and dining choices (reservations are suggested for sit-down restaurants).

You’ll want to bring your own noisemaker to join or cheer on the annual Noise Parade, an event that, coordinators say, devolves into fun and safe “organized chaos,” that leads all to Veteran’s Field for those fireworks.

It’s fun and classic, and feels so good you have to wonder if it’s real or it’s Hollywood.

Chatham estimates more than 10,000 folks attend over the day. But just like any good small town story: there’s room for us all.

Christmas in Chatham offers scenes out of a Hallmark movie. (Photo courtesy Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce)
Runners get in the spirit at the Carnival Caper Costumed Road Race. (Photo courtesy First Night Chatham)