Pierce House manager gets ready for her first First Day

By Alice Waugh

For the new Pierce House manager, January 1 will be her first First Day, and she’s planning a good time for all.

The New Year’s Day event offers food, drink and entertainment for Lincolnites of all ages from 1–5 p.m. “It’s going to be so much fun,” said Victoria Otis, the enthusiastic Pierce House manager. First Day is a Lincoln tradition that was threatened with cancellation due to a lack of funds in 2018, but residents stepped up and made it happen. 

This year’s event will feature music from the Lincoln Trad Jazz Sextet, and a balloon artist and “candy bar” for kids. Food and beverages are being donated by William Ference Catering, BG Events, Two Chefs Are Better Than One, Fireside Catering, and Gordon’s Liquors. Other donations include funds from the Parks and Recreation Department and a police detail from the Lincoln Police Department.

After graduating from Johnson and Wales College in 2017, Otis was event manager at the Stevens Estate in North Andover, another town-owned historic property now rented out for gatherings. She started at the Pierce House last summer and has already raised the historic house’s profile the new-fashioned way: online. Getting listed on TheKnot.com and WeddingWire quickly paid for itself with more wedding bookings, and she’s also boosted the number of followers on the Pierce House social media sites, including Instagram.

Otis (who also manages the Pierce House property with oversight from the Pierce House Committee) is bubbling with other ideas, including new plantings and garden arrangements, an ice machine, fundraising, and a wall or some other measure to appease neighbors who are unhappy with the sound levels during events.

During the slow winter months, she keeps busy meeting vendors, networking with the National Association for Catering and Events, and working with new part-time assistant Jennifer Curtin (who also works for the Conservation Commission).

Weddings are the Pierce House’s bread and butter, and running this kind of event is becoming second nature to Otis. “All my friends are getting married, so I kind of look at what they’re doing and it makes it a lot easier for me,” she said.

Otis still needs First Day volunteers, especially for setup and cleanup. Those interested may contact her at 781-259- 9757 or Victoria@piercehouse.com.