10 unique New Year’s Eve drops from around the South
When the ball dropped to ring in 2020, nobody could have predicted what this year would bring.
In the spirit of ushering in the unexpected, The American South decided to take a look at 10 unique New Year’s Eve “ball drops” around the South. From possums to oysters, these celebrations include everything but the traditional, glittering orbs lowered in some cities.
And while the COVID-19 pandemic means some of these New Year’s Eve traditions will look different — or not happen at all — this year, our team looks forward to the day we can once again safely gather and greet the coming year.
Possum drop - Tallapoosa, Georgia
Before Tallapoosa got its current name, miners called the town Possum Snout. Though it’s unclear where that moniker came from, the town celebrates its honorary mascot by dropping a taxidermized possum suspended inside a spherical cage wrapped in lights. The possum is named Spencer after Ralph Spencer, one of Tallapoosa’s founding businessmen.
Moon Pie drop - Mobile, Alabama
Moon Pies are made in Chattanooga, Tennessee, but there may be no city that loves them more than Mobile. The sweet confections with a marshmallow center are a staple throw for the city’s Mardi Gras parades, and some estimate the city to be the nation’s largest consumer of the treat. So it only makes sense that the city shows its appreciation by dropping a 12-foot illuminated Moon Pie to ring in the new year.
Flea drop - Eastover, North Carolina
If you’re itching for a truly unique New Year’s celebration, look no further than Eastover. The town’s history is marked by stories of flea infestations and the town was called Flea Hill until 1929. Since 2010, the town has dropped a 3-foot-tall, 30-pound brown flea named Jasper each New Year’s Eve as an homage to its history.
Flip flop drop - Folly Beach, South Carolina
Many flip flops have been dropped on the sandy, Lowcountry beaches of South Carolina. But none is bigger than the pair dropped each New Year’s Eve in Folly Beach. The sandals glitter like sunlight off the Atlantic, and while crowds will not be allowed to see the drop this year, the city has announced that the event will be livestreamed for people to appreciate at home.
Meteorite drop - Wetumpka, Alabama
About 85 million years ago, a meteorite smashed into east-central Alabama just outside what would one day become the small town of Wetumpka. The event obviously had an impact. Since 1987, the town has celebrated the coming year by recreating the event with a manmade “meteorite” that spews sparks as it glides overhead on a wire before dropping to the ground.
Music note drop - Nashville
For those wanting to drop the mic on another year in the books, Nashville may be the closest you can get. Music City lives up to its name and, in normal years, drops a large musical note while hosting a large public concert. The event has been canceled due to COVID-19, but hopefully the music will go on to ring in 2021.
Oyster drop - Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
Oysters are a staple of Gulf Coast living and this fairly new tradition has become a pearl of a New Year’s Eve event. The event began last year and features a 7-foottall oyster that drops down a 20-foot-pole.
Fleur de lis drop - New Orleans
The fleur de lis is a common sight in New Orleans, from the cast iron gates of the French Quarter to the helmets of the city’s beloved New Orleans Saints. So it only makes sense that the city would drop a large fleur de lis on New Year’s Eve in the hopes that the good times will roll into the coming year.
Buzzard drop - Perry, Georgia
Buzzards can be a nuisance in Perry, which sits along the migratory pattern for the ignominious scavengers. But the town has decided to embrace its annual visitor and since 2013, a large “buzzard” clad in a top hat and bow tie is dropped each year.
Acorn drop - Raleigh, North Carolina
Plenty of acorns fall in Raleigh, also called the City of Oaks. But only one is 1,250 pounds and made of bronze (makes you wonder what tree it fell from). In ordinary years, the acorn is lowered to celebrate the beginning of another year. This year, due to the pandemic, the acorn will be placed in a park alongside a custom art installation so visitors can drive by to safely view the towering seed from their car.