USA Today has compiled a list of the 10 best New Year’s Eve drops in the country, and one Georgia event made the cut. It’s not Atlanta’s well-known Peach Drop, however. It’s something a little less mainstream and a lot more country.
Who made the cut?
USA Today determined the 10 best New Year’s Eve drops to welcome 2025 by turning to its travel editors. The editors nominated their top picks, so that the news outlet’s readers could decide the final top 10 through a vote.
New York City’s iconic Times Square Ball Drop dragged in 10th place, beaten out by Mount Olive, North Carolina’s unique Pickle Drop at ninth and none other than Tallapoosa, Georgia’s Possum Drop at eighth. Panama City Beach, Florida’s New Year’s Eve Beach Ball Drop and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania’s PEEPS Chick Drop finished out the bottom five.
Ludington, Michigan’s ball drop locked in first place, with Boise, Idaho’s Potato Drop in second. Amelia Island, Florida’s Shrimp Drop, Whiting, Indiana’s Pierogi Drop and Flagstaff, Arizona’s Great Pinecone Drop finished out the top five.
What is it?
The community of Clay County, North Carolina, first popularized the possum drop concept in 1990. The community’s tradition of using a live possum in a glass box drew controversy, however, leading to protests by animal activists.
Georgia’s Possum Drop event, unrelated to North Carolina’s now defunct tradition, began in the late ‘90s. The tradition has never used a live possum, but rather a taxidermy one named Spencer.
Spencer, named after local businessman Ralph Spencer, is the star of the town each New Year’s Eve. That star is burning ever brighter. Since beginning with just around 40 visitors for its first event, the Possum Drop now attracts thousands of visitors every year. Over 13,000 welcomed 2024 as the possum dropped, that’s roughly 406% of Tallapoosa’s entire population. This year, event organizers are anticipating more than 15,000 visitors.
What is there to do?
The Possum Drop’s preliminary fun begins at 2 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and festivities will continue until midnight. There will be a pageant at 2 p.m. in the Tallapoosa Cultural Arts Center to kick things off. Just outside, kids can enjoy carnival rides as they wait for the New Year’s Eve event to star.
At 6 p.m., a DJ performance will officially start the Possum Drop. Fleetwood Mac cover band Landslide will take over at 7 p.m. There will be an early possum drop at 9 p.m. in the Kids Zone, set with its own fireworks display. Around 10 p.m., Eagles tribute band On the Border will play into the new year. Come midnight, a fireworks display will welcome the official possum drop.
Visitors can expect food, drinks and vendors to be in high supply this year.
For more information, visit thepossumdrop.com.
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