9 Of The Wildest NYE Ball-Drops In The US

When the stroke of midnight hits on New Year’s Eve, people love to celebrate it. The traditional “ball drop” at Times Square in New York is one of the most well-known ways to ring in the new year. In this list, we’ll cover ten wild ball-drop events in the US to give you options.

The Chicken-Flavored PeepsFest at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

When you think of New Year’s Eve, you probably don’t think about a giant chick, but the people of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, do. This neon-colored festival happens every New Year’s Eve and is accompanied by fireworks and a massive chick, sponsored by marshmallow chick confectioner Just Born.

This two-day event includes food, drinks, music, and anything you’d want from a New Year celebration. Among the events the festival offers are a scavenger hunt, the dropping of a 400-pound PEEPS chick, and the Leaning Tower of PEEPS. Not too bad for a festival.

Cheesy Delights For the New Year in Plymouth, Wisconsin

Wisconsin is known for the quality of its cheese. Why not celebrate New Year by dropping a massive wheel of cheese? It’s unclear who thought about replacing the ball with a wheel of cheese, but it’s on-brand for this town. The Annual Sartori Big Cheese Drop is among the most unique NYE events.

Now, strictly speaking, they don’t drop the cheese. Instead, it’s lowered down using a pulley as the countdown runs. It would be dangerous to drop something that heavy without warning. Partygoers can bring their party hats, noisemakers, and whistles and enjoy the music and dancing at the festival site. This yearly celebration is an exciting twist to ball drops.

Drop An Iceberg in Yuma, Arizona

The Titanic would not like this one, but they bring in New Year’s in Yuma, Arizona, by dropping an iceberg. Mind you, it’s not an actual block of ice but a massive recreation of an iceberg lettuce head. The head is held in a crane and lowered down as the countdown happens.

The event was initially designed to celebrate Yuma’s agricultural district. America gets all its winter lettuce from the Yuma region in Arizona, making this the perfect way to tip their hat to the new year. It’s part NYE celebration, part harvest festival.

Drop A Hot Potato in Boise, Idaho

This is another agricultural-themed New Year’s Eve drop, this time in Boise, Idaho. The potatoes from Idaho are among the most well-known around the world. This potato drop celebrates the agricultural industry that makes them possible. It happens at the State Capitol in Boise.

It’s truly an event, as there’s a state-of-the-art snow park that’s towed in just for the celebration. Local food and drink are on offer, and visitors can even snap a photo with the mascot, a life-sized potato called Spuddy Buddy. Even their VIP room is reserved for “Very Important Potatoes.” Talk about going all-in.

Grape-Dropping in Temecula, California

California is known for the high quality of its wine region, and Temecula loves to show off this recognition with its NYE Grape Drop: ice skating, carnival games, and more features in this annual event. The attraction draws thousands from the area to participate.

You might wonder how you’d see a single grape drop at midnight. Don’t worry about it too much – the “grape drop” is a 150-pound bunch of “grapes” made up of over seven thousand lights. The grapes drop at 9 PM, making for an early celebration.

The Conch Shell Drop in Key West, Florida, is Unique

A well-known establishment in Key West, Sloppy Joe’s Bar has been in operation since the end of prohibition in 1933. Ernest Hemingway is rumored to have spent hours at the bar, sipping drinks as he crafted his masterpieces. The bar offers one of the most exciting ball-drops in the State.

Outside the bar, suspended on a wire, is a conch shell that is gingerly lowered as time gets closer and closer to New Year’s Eve. Out front, a party spills onto the street, with thousands of people showing up to partake in the drinks and festivities. This isn’t your typical NYE bash.

Celebrating The New Year Twice in Eastport, Maine

A NYE party is so nice, why not do it twice? Eastport, Maine’s Tides Institute and Museum of Art sponsors this drop. At 11 PM on NYE, an illuminated red maple leaf is lowered to the ground to celebrate New Year’s across the bay in Canada, which is in a different time zone.

At midnight, precisely one hour later, a massive, eight-foot sardine is lowered to the ground to celebrate New Year’s in Eastport itself. This celebration is one of the few in the world you’d ever get to celebrate the new year twice in one night.

Check Out the CherryT Ball Drop in Traverse City, Michigan

Michigan is one of the calmest places in the US, but the CherryT Ball Drop is an exciting event that shakes up the entire area. The celebration happens on Front Street and is like a grand street party where everyone is invited to participate.

Why the strange name? Since all the proceeds of the ball drop are given to charity, the nickname CherryT was given to the ball drop. They also drop a giant illuminated cherry at midnight, which further plays into the name. The event is one of the most stunning you’ll witness.

NYE Doesn’t Have to be Chili in Las Cruces, New Mexico

We’ve seen all manner of strange things drop on New Year’s Eve, but what about a massive chili pepper? Las Cruces, known for its spicy cuisine, leans into the event by dropping a huge, illuminated green chili pepper on New Year’s Eve.

The free event is a mixture of amusement park and afternoon getaway, with the celebrations including a beer garden, food, and several midway games. The show’s real star is the 19-foot-long chili lowered to the ground to celebrate the New Year. No one knows whether it’ll be lit red or green until the reveal.

More Places To Celebrate New Year’s

Even if you’re not in New York for the Times Square ball drop, you can catch one of these unique celebrations. Some people prefer to just head to a private party but miss the fun and enjoyment of the countdown that happens every New Year’s Eve night.

Whatever the flavor of your New Year’s Eve celebrations, ringing in the new year always opens the doors to improvements and things to enjoy. It doesn’t matter what you watch drop when the clock strikes twelve, only that you enjoy it to the fullest.