SARATOGA SPRINGS — The New Year's Eve celebration in Saratoga Springs is expanding to more venues beyond downtown and YMCA Chief Executive Officer James Letts said that's to keep the 13th annual event fresh.

Plans for the Dec. 31 celebration, First Night, were announced at the YMCA this morning including this year's theme, "Fire and Ice."

Organizer Maureen Duda said the celebration has become the largest New Year's Eve event in upstate New York with 14,000 revelers expected between 5 p.m. and midnight.

"Over 35 performance locations featuring over 80 performances will transform the city into a cultural palette of music, dance and visual arts," she said.

Letts said the Capital District Transportation Authority will have special bus runs to the YMCA and Saratoga Springs High School, both on West Avenue, as well as to Lake Avenue Elementary School and Spa State Park.

"We've expanded the number of venues to let people who have come six or seven years see something different from past years," he said.

A 5K run with an expected 1,000 runners will begin at 5:30 p.m. and Duda said this year, a 5K run is planned at the same time with troops in Afghanistan competing.

"We hope to have a split [television] screen so that we can see the shotgun start for 50 to 60 runners there," she said. "The run in Afghanistan has been organized by Matt Armstrong, who has participated in our Saratoga Springs run with his father in years past."

Overseas, the 5K run is slated for Camp Black Horse, located just east of Kabul, Afghanistan. Armstrong, a native of Saratoga Springs, is deployed with troops in Afghanistan.

Registration for the local run, which circles the Skidmore College campus, is $20. Medal are awarded to the top three male and female finishers in each five-year age division and Duda said first, second and third place medals will also be sent for the top runners in Afghanistan.

First Night buttons are now available for $15 each and allow entry into all of the venues for performances of music, dance, magic and juggling throughout the city.

A hot air balloon is planned for the state park from 7 to 9 p.m. and indoor venues in the park will have "a vast and varied array of entertainment and exhibits until just before 10 p.m., when the focus will shift outdoors," Duda said.

The evening will conclude with fireworks downtown.

A complete listing of events and venues is available on the Web site, www.ymcasaratoga.org.