When the ball just won’t do: The wacky things Pennsylvania drops on New Year’s Eve

The abundance of hometown pride is evident in the different New Year’s Eve celebrations across the state, when weird things start dropping at midnight. 

When it comes to New Year’s Eve, no state knows how to ring in the coming year quite like Pennsylvania.

Cities and towns across the commonwealth have put their own hometown spin on a time-honored tradition. From pickles and bologna, to mushrooms and strawberries, Pennsylvanians drop (or raise) some of the most unusual items in the country. 

Read on for just some of the many year-end celebrations with a unique hometown twist held throughout the state.

Bethlehem

Bethlehem commemorates the beginning of a new year with the dropping of a 4-foot, 9-inches tall, 400-pound yellow Peep. The annual PeepsFest is a two-day event celebrating the marshmallow candies made in the Lehigh Valley.

PeepsFest will feature family-friendly activities and fireworks. Ring in the new year from 3 to 6 p.m. Dec. 30 and 31 with the dropping of the Peep taking place at 5:35 p.m. each night.

Dillsburg

Although Dillsburg has nothing to do with pickles, the town knows how to have fun with its name. To celebrate the new year, a delicious dill known as Mr. Pickle is dropped into a barrel in the center of town.

The celebration starts at 7 p.m. and concludes with the pickle drop and fireworks.

Gettysburg

Gettysburg started a new tradition a few years back, the raising of Abraham Lincoln’s stovepipe hat at the stroke of midnight in Lincoln Square. The event, From Lincoln Square to Times Square, features family-friendly activities like face painting and balloon animals, as well as live entertainment 

Hallam 

Hallam rings in the new year with the dropping of a replica of the Shoe House at midnight. The family-oriented event starts at 7 p.m. at the Hallam Fire Company and Trinity United Church of Christ and will feature a magician, bingo, and other activities.

Harrisburg

One minute before midnight, a giant, lit strawberry starts its descent to ring in the New Year in Harrisburg. While strawberries are grown nearby, Harrisburg isn’t particularly known for strawberries and there is no major industry in the area related to the fruit. Instead, Harrisburg drops a strawberry in recognition of its Strawberry Square shopping center.

On Dec. 31 starting at 9 p.m., the City of Harrisburg will host the annual New Year’s Eve celebration with the strawberry drop and fireworks at midnight. 

Hershey

“The Sweetest Place on Earth” puckers up for a decadent new year with the raising of a Hershey’s Kiss and a midnight fireworks display every year.

Beginning at 7:30 p.m. in downtown Hershey this New Year’s Eve, there will be food and drink vendors as well as entertainment, with the night culminating in a Kiss countdown with the Hershey’s characters and then a fireworks display.

Kennett Square

The “Mushroom Capital of the World” drops a 700-pound stainless steel mushroom at the stroke of midnight as a nod to the town’s acres of fungus farms. The festivities begin at 7 p.m. on State and Union Streets.

Lancaster

While a white rose drops in York (more on that below), Lancaster drops a red rose at midnight on New Year’s Eve. The free celebration takes place at Penn Medicine Park. There’s a kid’s party from 8 to 10 p.m. with a countdown and balloon drop. The Red Rose drop is followed by a fireworks show.

Lebanon

In Lebanon, a famous Pennsylvania Dutch deli meat descends from the sky as the last seconds of the year are counted down. A 16-foot cylinder of Lebanon bologna comes to a stop at the stroke of midnight and is then donated to local charities.

The bologna will drop again this year on Dec. 31 with the celebration starting at 10 p.m.

Lewistown

After taking a few years off, the Lewistown Chip Drop returns to downtown New Year’s Eve, when Lewistown rings in the new year by dropping a gigantic bag of Hartley’s potato chips. The family-friendly event starts at 9 p.m. on Monument Square and runs until 12:30 a.m.

Lower Allen Township

At the stroke of midnight on Dec. 31, Lower Allen Township drops its pants. Literally. The 5-foot tall pair of yellow breeches is a playful reference to the Yellow Breeches Creek that flows through the town’s park.

The town will hold a family-friendly celebration starting at 9 p.m.

Mechanicsburg

To honor the mechanics that originally settled in the area, Mechanicsburg drops an 85-pound galvanized steel wrench on the eve of the new year. The tradition started in 2004.

The town celebrates the New Year from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. in front of the Washington Fire Company at 53 E. Main St.

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh does its own ball drop. The “Future of Pittsburgh” ball is a 1,000-pound orb made of 100% recycled materials. It’s a symbol of Pittsburgh being a green city. 

This New Year’s Eve, the festivities begin at 7 p.m. in the Cultural District. 

Shippensburg

Shippensburg embraces its nautical town name by dropping an anchor into the new year.

This year’s festivities start at 8 p.m. on King Street, between Earl and Penn streets.

York

It’s all about the rose every New Year’s Eve in York as the city drops a white rose to kick off the new year. The rose represents the House of York, which fought a series of bloody civil wars over the throne of England centuries ago.

York will celebrate the end of the year with festivities starting at 10:00 p.m. in Continental Square.