Times Square on New Year’s Eve?
Too Square!
Seriously, how many years can they smoosh about a million people together on a few frigid city blocks to watch a Waterford Crystal ball sloooowly descend without it all getting to feel a bit stale?
You’re much better off staying in Georgia, this Dec. 31. From north to south, in big cities and teeny towns, they’re putting their own highly creative and representive twist on the traditional ball drop.
At midnight, everything from an oversized possum and a shamrock to — yes, really — a big buzzard wearing a formal top hat will come on down to help usher in 2017.
Meanwhile, leave it to Savannah not to play by the usual rules. Rather than a dull old drop, Party Town on the River will be raising something at midnight instead. No, not heck. But pretty darned close.
Read on for all the details on how to have a fun new take on Auld Lang Syne there and elsewhere in the state on New Year’s Eve.
Nugget Drop, Dahlonega
6 p.m. - midnight, Dahlonega Town Square area. $10, 12 and under admitted free (admission "buttons" can be purchased online). www.dahlonegafirstnight.org.
The drop is a highlight of First Night Dahlonega, a family friendly celebration of the new year that also raises money for Jeremiah’s Place,which provides transitional housing and support for homeless families in Lumpkin County. The button gets you into all of the vocal and instrumental performances that will be going on at the Historic Holly Theatre and three churches located in the area of the square. There’ll also be activities at Hancock Park, and a vintage car show courtesy of The North Georgia and Dahlonega Car Club. Playing off of Dahlonega’s colorful history as a gold rush town, there are actually two nugget drops — a kids-focused one at 9:30 p.m. — and the biggie at midnight, featuring a golden nugget fashioned by local high school students that descends 30 feet into the square.
Buzzard Drop, Perry
Shamrock Drop, Dublin
8 p.m. - midnight, Downtown Dublin. Free. 478-272-4002, www.visitdublinga.com
A street party featuring dancing, live music, vendors, food and drink, largely in the area around the Dublin Theatre (314 Academy Ave.). At 8:30 p.m. there'll be a free screening of "The Secret Life of Pets" at the the theater. Then, just before midnight for reasons we shouldn't have to explain, this Middle Georgia town locate some 50 minutes west of Macon will drop a glittering shamrock from the roof of the historic Fred Roberts Hotel (306 Academy Ave.).
Possum Drop, Tallapoosa
5 p.m. - midnight, downtown Tallapoosa. Free. 678-250-Drop ( 3767 ), www.thepossumdrop.com
One of the biggest and best-known drops in the state, it’s an homage to the West Georgia town’s onetime name of “Possum Snout.” There’ll be food, a Kids Zone and lots of entertainment. Among the musical acts playing on two stages at Head Avenue and West Alabama Street are On the Border, aka “the ultimate Eagles (tribute) band,” “South of Nashville” and “Eric Scheider as Elvis.” Beloved radio DJ Rhubarb Jones hosts at 8 p.m. and leads the countdown to Spencer the possum’s descent from the American Hometown Realty building (129 Head Ave.) starting just before midnight. It ends with a big fireworks display.
Up the Cup, Savannah
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