SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — A first-time New Year’s event intended to be a family friendly alternative to a typically chaotic celebration at Stateline was well-attended on Wednesday night.

Several hundred people — including a small herd of young children — turned out for live music, ice sculptures and fire dancing at Ski Run Marina’s Blue Fire and Ice New Year’s Event.

Attendance at the event was “incredible,” said Blue Sky Events President Kerry Hawk, saying kids’ eyes nearly popped out when they saw the performance by a trio of firedancers. Exact attendance figures were not immediately available.

Blue Sky Events organized the event in conjunction with the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority as family oriented New Year’s entertainment, but the event was not exclusively for kids, said Karin Priou, an event coordinator for Blue Sky Events.

“Something about fire and ice is appealing at any age,” Priou said.

Central Coast residents Hannah Juul-Borne and Nathan Kenyon agreed, saying the event was a pit stop between dinner and the Stateline celebration.

“It’s so cool,” said Juul-Borne, who was celebrating her 24th birthday on Wednesday. “We took a picture in the Eskimos.”

The Eskimos — ice sculptures with hollow rings for heads that people could put their face in for a photo-op — were among the most popular of the ice sculptures.

But other entertainment — including musician Darin Talbot, a balloon artist, a magician, the firedancers and a grand finale that included the revealing of a large “2009” ice sculpture — got its share of attention from those in attendance.

“I think it’s great,” said Bay Area resident Nav Saini. “It’s good to see people out having a good time.”