This blog post was updated on October 1, 2018.
New York City has a glittering and glowing ball descend on the city each and every New Year’s Eve. While many across the country watch this traditional and typical ball drop in person or on T.V., other cities and towns in the U.S. are munching on a different kind of ball drop. Several corners of the country embrace the non-traditional ball drop for food varieties. From giant bags of potato chips to cheese wedges, here are five funky food themed New Year’s Eve drops you might want to chew on for next year’s New Year’s Eve.
The Big Cheese Drop: Held each year in Plymouth, Wisconsin, the Big Cheese Drop pays homage to Wisconsin’s love and knack for cheese. Coupled with live music and plenty of cheese, an 80 pound cheese wedge heads down a ladder at midnight. The event takes place just outside the Plymouth Arts Center. The operation is all local with the Plymouth Fire Department operating the ladder.
The Great Chip Drop: To go along with that giant wedge of cheese, Lewistown, Pennsylvania brings in the crunch on New Year’s Eve. The town celebrates the New Year not with a traditional ball drop but rather with a giant bag of local Hartley’s Chips. The six-foot by nine-foot bag falls from the town square at midnight. The event is capped off with fireworks and extended business hours for businesses and restaurants in the area. The Great Chip Drop has occurred since 2007.
The Pineapple Drop: Nothing quite says New Year’s like a giant pineapple. Downtown Sarasota hoists a glistering and glowing pineapple up into the sky along the intersection of Lemon Avenue and Main Street. At midnight, the large piece of fruit descends. In addition to the Pineapple Drop, the city celebrates the event with musical performances across several stages in the area.
The Toll House Cookie Drop: It might be every sweet tooth’s fantasy, but in Whitman, Massachusetts it is a reality. Each year, the town celebrates New Year’s Eve with a Toll House Cookie Drop. Ruth Wakefield invented the Toll House cookie in Whitman at the Toll House Inn. The 6-foot cookie lowered over the city’s downtown center is not exactly edible. The cookie is composed of metal covered in fabric and features foam rubber chocolate chips and lights for added sparkle.
The Potato Drop: Idaho is proud of its potatoes and shows off that fact on New Year’s Eve. Downtown Boise entertains a crowd with a 17-foot potato. The massive spud falls on the downtown at midnight. While only in its second year, the Potato Drop draws a crowd not just for the giant potato but also for the fireworks, music and food offered during the event. The Potato Drop occurs around Main Street and 8th Street at midnight.
Image: Duane Schoon
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