BERLIN – After a four-year hiatus, the town is expected to resume its tradition of ringing in the new year with a ball drop on Dec. 31.
Berlin will host two New Year’s Eve events, a kids ball drop and a midnight ball drop, to celebrate the arrival of 2024. After the celebration was scrapped last year due to weather and pandemic related cancellations prior to that, Berlin is eager to be able to once again host its New Year’s Eve celebrations.
“There’s nothing like Berlin throughout the year but especially on New Year’s Eve,” said Ivy Wells, the town’s economic and community development director. “It’s a way to celebrate with your neighbors and family and be all together. There’s something for all ages.”
Families are being welcomed to Main Street at 5 p.m. on Dec. 31 for a laser light show and ball drop. The town will be providing children with bubbles, glow sticks and cow bells to ring in the new year at 6 p.m.
“We’ve accumulated a variety of fun party favors for the kids over the last several years,” Wells said.
The laser light show is set to music and leads right up to the ball drop. Food vendors, including Roadie Joe’s, The Street Kitchen and Sessa’s, will be set up and all of the town’s bars and restaurants will be open.
“The ball will drop from one of our Town of Berlin bucket trucks at 6 p.m.,” Wells said.
As the younger guests are heading home, the Rogue Citizens and the Cal Toner band will be setting up to provide live music in the interim before the late-night ball drop. At 10 p.m., DJ Big Al Reno arrives and the Berlin Chamber of Commerce will begin selling beer, wine and bubbly.
“The food trucks will be there all night,” Wells said.
A 45-minute laser show, set up on a giant screen across Main Street, will begin at 11:15 p.m. and will culminate with the midnight ball drop. For the later event, the ball will be set atop the J.E. Parker building and lowered in the final seconds of 2023.
Wells noted that live entertainment was made possible thanks to a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council and the laser shows were being sponsored by the Atlantic General Hospital Penguin Swim.
For more information, visit the town’s Facebook page or berlinmainstreet.com. There will not be a shuttle on Dec. 31 and Wells encourages attendees who live close enough to walk to Main Street for the event.
