If you're looking for something to do during winter break, here's kind of a two for one.

The 18th annual First Night Raleigh will pack them into downtown on New Year’s Eve. Your family can go for free as long as you all volunteer.

Terri Dollar, program director for Artsplosure, which organizes the event, says kids 10 and up with parents will have the most fun helping put the event together. Kids have to be 16 to volunteer without an adult.

Artsplosure is filling slots the days before the event, though most volunteers are needed Dec. 30 and Dec. 31. Volunteer shifts usually are about 2.5 hours.

Tickets to First Night cost $9 in advance, $10 for kids and $12 for adults on Dec. 31. Kids 5 and under are free with a ticketed adult. So if you're a family of four with a couple of school kids, it's a savings of $40 or so.

Dollar says families often volunteer together.

“We usually try to place them in a venue that would be of interest to them.”

Some popular shifts: Helping with the People’s Procession, a parade of people and giant puppets, or standing watch at the Resolution Oak, a sculpture where visitors can place New Year’s resolutions. And teenagers who can’t put down Guitar Hero might enjoy helping out at a new event this year: Guitar Hero Challenge with Blake Peebles, a local teen and aspiring professional gamer.

For more information about volunteering or First Night, go to firstnightraleigh.com.

Looking for new activities to do with your kids? Read TriangleMom2Mom every Thursday.

Check out our other daily themes at TriangleMom2Mom:

MONDAY: Meet!
TUESDAY: Ask!
WEDNESDAY: Eat!
THURSDAY: Play!
FRIDAY: Out!
WEEKEND: Relax!