Provo's First Night celebration gets a little bigger every year, and organizers believe this year could be the best party yet.

Helen Anderson, spokeswoman for Provo city, said the theme this year is "Party Under the Big Top." The events will center around carnival activities, including virtual Nintendo Wii carnival games. People will be able to walk a virtual tightrope or participate in a ring toss.

JaNel Grim, recreation supervisor for Provo city, said an event that will likely be most popular at First Night will be the circus performing group, Cirkus Pandemonium. The Salt Lake City group will be performing all night long, with acts such as human juggling and fire dancing.

"I don't believe that Provo has ever done a fire dance," she said.

Grim said the group will begin its show using aerial silks. The performers will do acrobatic tricks all the way down the 30-foot-high silks without using any harnesses or restraining devices. With the circus performers, live bands and other performances, Grim said there will be more live performers this year than any of the other years combined.

The night also will feature an eating contest using carnival foods. The participants will spin a wheel to determine whether they will be eating peanuts, sardines, giant pixie sticks, popcorn or other foods.

"I think it's as fun to be in the crowd as it is to be the people eating," she said.

The food court also will be open during the party, selling kettle corn and cotton candy. Grim said the organizing committee worked hard to include all ages of the participants. Traditional activities like the Big Band dance will still be available, as will a Top 40s dance and craft tables for smaller children. The children's night will end at 9 p.m. with a family fireworks show, though Grim said all activities will continue all night this year as many children like to stay until the end anyway.

Anderson said she has taken some of her children to the event before and has found that the activities cater well to their needs. In the early years of the event, her son enjoyed the storytelling and face paint, while her kids these days like the new events.

"Last year, I took a couple of my kids, and they really enjoyed the crafts," she said.

In years past, participants have enjoyed karaoke and the First Night Star, a singing competition. Grim said First Night Star has been modified somewhat this year, with all competitors singing first on a karaoke stage and the top 20 in the group making it to the stage with the band.

"They'll get to actually sing with a live band on stage," she said.

Grim said there are many people who return to the celebration every year, and organizers expect there will be plenty of new visitors as well. She estimated that 12,000 to 15,000 people were in attendance last year, and organizers try to add more attractions every year as the venue continues to grow.

"We've been working on this for several months, just trying to make it the best event possible," she said.

Provo Mayor Lewis Billings said First Night has become increasingly family-friendly after it moved into the Provo Towne Centre mall and out of the cold. When it was outdoor, people had a hard time staying for more than an hour, especially with children.

Now that the party is indoors, Billings said there is little to hamper any of the events, even the fireworks. Despite terrible weather at times in the past, the fireworks have never needed to be cancelled.

Billings said the idea of First Night is to come together as a community, at a time when people have become increasingly isolated from each other.

"We're trying to do things that build the community, that bring the community together," he said.

Provo's First Night celebration will be Dec. 31 from 6 p.m. until midnight at the Provo Towne Centre mall. Tickets are $4 for people aged 13 and older, $3 for children 12 years and younger and free for children under 3 with a paying adult. The ticket prices will be increased by $1 at the door.