Showing posts with label Events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Events. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

America 250 - Events In The North Central Susquehanna Valley

 

Events Celebrating America's 250th Anniversary
In the Northern Central Susquehanna Valley
2026

Expect most of the 4th of July celebrations in our area this year to be 250th themed events.
See a facebook post of local 250th event calendars 



JULY:

July 1st - America 250th Mural Unveiling in Clinton County

July 2-4th  - Catawissa 250th celebration  Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau

July 2nd - Fort McClure house Public Tours, 1-4pm Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau

July 4th - Watsontown Parade and Festivities in the park. Millville Parade, Berwick 4th of July Celebration

July 4th - Freedom Bells 

July 11th - History Comes Alive - Thomas Jefferson portrayed by Tom Pitz, at the Deane Center in Wellsboro.  Tickets are $15, 21 and under are free. 

July 17th-19th WWII week-end at the Test Track Park in Berwick


AUGUST:

  • August 2nd - Ice Cream Social and Entertainment sponsored by the Watsontown Historical Association 2pm Watsontown 2026 Committee


SEPTEMBER:


OCTOBER:

  • October 13th - History Comes Alive - Franklin Roosevelt portrayed by Neil Hartley, at the Deane Center in Wellsboro.  Tickets are $15, 21 and under are free. 




=========================================

250th Facebook Pages By County:


======================================

A few quick facts, regarding America 250th Calendars:

  • It costs $250 to have your event included in the local "official" 250th listings.  You have to be a partner organization, and that's simply not in the budget for many of our smaller, local, non profits hosting events.
  • There were grants that could be applied for for celebrating the 250th - but many did not know about the grants, or how to apply - so the areas that received them are somewhat..  random.  Or at least it appears that way to many of us.  Watsontown, Eagles Mere, Lycoming County, and "Columbia & Montour Counties (Danville?)" received grants. But not all of them are using the grants for historical events, and they are also not the ONLY groups hosting events for the celebration...  so it's all very confusing.
  • Because of the way our area is situated, among several counties, we are covered, primarily, by 3 local chamber/business  organizations.  Each of these are WONDERFUL about sharing non profit events, but they each tend to focus primarily on their own locations.  Williamsport/Lycoming, Columbia Montour, and Susquehanna Valley (Primarily  North'd county).  Lewisburg then has about 12 different fb  pages of their own, listing different events in their community.  (Possibly an exaggeration - but not by much.  It's particularly time consuming to find info on events  in Lewisburg)
  • Side note - each of the organizations - Susquehanna Valley Visitors Bureau, Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau, etc - local businesses PAY to be a member of these.  This it not a bad thing.  But what it means is when these pages do articles on things such as "the 5 best restaurants with outdoor seating" for example, they are only featuring the restaurants that pay to be members.  They aren't going to feature a business that is not paying - that wouldn't be fair to the members who do pay.  It's  form of advertising - and these places do a great job of using the money from those memberships to promote the area, including promoting non profit events for free.  They are a GOOD thing, in my opinion.  Just know that they have a bias when promoting businesses.
  •  I am biased too.  We all are.  I may not (probably do not) even recognize all of my biases.  When I do recognize them, I am typically pretty blunt and honest about them.  For instance, I am not listing 5k events in a list of America 250 events.  What on earth does running a 5k road race have to do with America's history?  I'm not cluttering up my list with that.  Now if someone wants to recreate a race of Covenhaven's journey over the mountain, or of the Great Runaway...  that would be different.  :-) 




================
PAST EVENTS
================

MARCH:


March 15th - Prominent Women Presentation at the First Presbyterian Church, 401 Main Street Watsontown, 2pm. Watsontown 2026 Committee

March 15th - John Harris Jr portrayed in a meeting of the Northumberland County Historical Society.  2pm, Higher Hope Church 1000 Race St Sunbury Pa

March 18th - Betsy Ross defends her claim as the creator of the fist American Flag. Elk Hollow Lodge, Benton. (Sugar Loaf Historical Society)

March 21st - Fort McClure House In Bloomsburg, Public Tours 1-4pm Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau

March 22  - Road To Gettysburg 2pm Muncy Historical Society

Mar 22, 2026, 2:00 PM – Mar 22, 2026, 3:00 PM
America 250: Meet First Lady Martha Washington at the Taber Museum

APRIL:
April 9th 10-11am - Meet Abigail Adams, at the Taber Museum 

April 11th - Fort McClure House In Bloomsburg, Public Tours 1-4pm Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau

Saturday April 11th - Quilling class at the Taber Museum.  $30, Registration required, spaces limited.

April 12th  - Movie on Alvira, Warrior Run Auditorium 2pm. Watsontown 2026 Committee

April 12th - Fries Rebellion Screening (movie), and placing of markers on Rev Graves - Gabriels In The Pines, Bloomsburg Pa Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau

April 13th - Fort McClure House In Bloomsburg, Public Tours 1-4pm Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau

Tuesday April 14th - History Comes Alive - Abigail Adams portrayed by Kim Hanley, at the Deane Center in Wellsboro.  Tickets are $15, 21 and under are free. 

April 15th America250PA Mobile Unit at the Joseph Priestley House Museum 11-4

April 16th  - The Milton Historical Societies Annual James Pollock Dinner - with Chris Yohn, author of Liberty's Land.  Reservations required by April 8th.

April 18th 2-3pm Meet Martha Washington, at the Taber Museum 

April 19th - Trivia With Paul Smith at the Watsontown American Legion 2pm  Watsontown 2026 Committee


April 25th - Princeton American Elm tree planting-SAR/DAR/WRFFHS, 11am-noon At The Historic Warrior Run Church

Sunday April 26th Cars That Put America On Wheels, by Earl Mowrey, at the Taber Museum in Williamsport.

MAY:

May 2nd - America 250th Mobile Unit across from the Montour County Courthous

May 3rd - Patriotic Bike Parade in Danville, 1-3pm  ending at the Canal park where there will be live music.  Columbia Montour America 250th 

May 3rd - Window To The Revolution - Pennsylvania Germans & the War For Independence.  Sharon Lutheran Church, Selinsgrove.  Annual Roush Lecture

May 10th - Washington's Other Challenge, The Frontier  - Muncy Historical Society

May 16th - 2-3pm Meet Benjamin Franklin at the  Taber Museum 

May 16th  - Meet the Modern Patriots” festival on the front lawn of Ft. McClure in Bloomsburg,  on Armed Forces Day  10-4. Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau

Friday May 15th  - History Comes Alive - Benjamin Franklin portrayed by Barry Stevens, at the Deane Center in Wellsboro.  Tickets are $15, 21 and under are free. 

May 17th - 2-3pm Meet Betsy Ross at the  Taber Museum 

May 17th - 2 person performance, Martha Washington & Olna Judge - Muncy Historical Society

May 20th the America 250th Mobile Unit will be at the Envirothon in Union County from 11:30-3

May 21st Fort McClure program by Vinny Hippenstiel, at the Columbia County Historical society in Bloomsburg.  5:30-6:30pm  Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau

May 27th - 2 person performance, Betsey Ross and Ned Hector - Muncy Historical Society

May 30th - TENTATIVE Patriotic Stained Glass class, Fort Freeland Heritage Society Event

May 31st - Memorial Day & Patriotic Music Program at Trinity United Church Of Christ In Watsontown.  2pm. Watsontown 2026 Committee


JUNE:

June 7th - Flag day presentation and Patriotic Sing Along, Canal Boat Pavilion Watsontown, 2pm Watsontown 2026 Committee

June 12-13th - Life, Liberty & the Pursuit Of Happiness Quilt Show - Muncy Historical Society

June 13th -  Riverside Boro Life  celebration event at the Danville Airport. Food trucks, vendors, entertainment, fireworks to wrap up the evening. 

June 18th - Moses VanCampen lecture at Columbia County Historical Society in Bloomsburg. 

June 23rd - History Comes Alive - Charles Wilson Peale portrayed by Bob Gleason, at the Deane Center in Wellsboro.  Tickets are $15, 21 and under are free. 

June 27th - The Union County 4th of July Parade is always held the last week-end in June.  I don't know what is planned, I did scroll for a LONG time through their FB page, and it looks like whatever they do, it is VERY well funded this year... (But then, Fireworks are expensive) UnionCounty4thOfJuly

Posted by on No comments:
Labels: ,

Thursday, September 10, 2020

The Fall Balloonfest In Hughesville

Watching The Hot Air Balloon Launch in Hughesville

Each fall we head to the Lycoming County Fairgrounds in Hughesville before sunrise, to watch the Hot Air Balloons Launch.  Some years we head home without seeing a single balloon.  Other times we are there for hours, watching the balloons set up and take off, then following them and frequently helping them load the balloons back up when they land.  It all depends on the weather, but this is always one of my very favorite fall things.


The Lycoming County Rotary Clubs all come together to host the annual two day Balloonfest and Airshow.  The event is not a fundraiser, every dime raised goes right back into hosting the event the following year, and even that would not be enough to hold the event.  Many sponsors make this fun event possible each year.  

Throughout the week-end there will be vendors, displays, and shows, inside the fairgrounds.  There are typically tethered hot air balloon rides, helicopter rides, food, music, shows, a heavy equipment rodeo, an air show featuring hang gliders and any skydivers (and more!) and at night, a laser show.  Find the entire week-end schedule here: https://www.lcrotary.com/schedule

Entrance to the event is $9 a person, $5 for children ages 6-12.  Other events, such as a balloon walk about, and tethered balloon rides, have additional fees, which can be found listed here: https://www.lcrotary.com/tickets  There are usually a lot of extra events too.  A juggler is coming in 2020, and there is an atv race..  for all the latest news and information, follow the facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/balloonfestairshow/

And while all of that is a lot of fun to watch, my favorite part of this festival is free.  The balloon launches take place around sunrise and sunset,  setting up and taking off from outside of the fair grounds.  

The launches typically occur Saturday and Sunday mornings between 6:30 and 7:00am.   Evening launch will occur any time from 5pm to 7pm.  Times vary, based on weather readings, and many years they have been cancelled completely because the winds were  not optimal.


As for where to best see them, anywhere in Hughesville will likely offer a good view..  Lime Bluff park is a popular spot, and if the winds take them west, several balloons are likely to land in that park.  But there is no guessing which way the balloons will go until it's time for the launch.  Sometimes they go west, sometimes they go east. 

Photos & Video Clips From Past Years:

===========================



See More Of This Months Local News & Events Here:

=============
READ MORE
==============

The event began as the Fall foliage festival and balloon fest in 2004.  It was held at the Williamsport Airport. On one or two years, Dan and I watched from the overlook on route 15, as the balloons took off,  It was beautiful to see them rise over the flog on the river.  When it was held there, there were all sorts of shaped balloons, very unique ones, that we do not typically see at the new location.   Conditions for balloons however, are not often not ideal from the airport location.  The river, and the mountain ridge, effect the wind currents, and the festival was eventually moved to the Lycoming Fairgrounds in Hughesville.  In 2020, I've heard there may be a cat shaped balloon appearing at the event.

The first hot air balloon show in our area, that I have found so far, was in 1875 in Dewart Pa.  It was a unique, and massive, event, and I still have not learned what brought the balloonist to the tiny hamlet of Dewart, although I assume that he knew someone who lived there, or someone who lived there was passionate about the new hot air balloon craze and hired him to come there.  You can read about the event here: https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/06/when-hot-air-balloon-came-to-dewart-in.html

Williamsport used to have an annual Susquehanna Boom Festival.  In 1986, a hot air balloon rally was held at Lycoming College as part of the event.




Posted by on No comments:
Labels: , , ,

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

The 2020 Bloomsburg Fair - Where To Find The Vendors

Officially, The 2020 Bloomsburg Fair is Cancelled.

Unofficially, it has just spread out a bit.  Local businesses throughout Bloomsburg will be hosting a variety of fair vendors between September 25th & October 3rd.
  Here's where to find them:

(This map will not show ALL of the locations, scroll down to the bottom of this post for the full, zoomable, version)
Read more »
Posted by on 9 comments:
Labels: ,

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Pennsylvania Charter Day


Sunday March 8, 2020
Happy 339th Birthday, Pennsylvania!

"Charter Day" is  to commemorate the granting of the Charter to William Penn, from King Charles II,  in March of 1681.While other colonies at the time were under England’s rule, Penn became the owner outright of 28 million acres of land.

 Throughout Pennsylvania on March 8 2020, admission to State Museums will be free, (Scroll down for a full list of participating museums) and the original charter issued to William Penn will be brought out from the vault and put on display at the State Museum.

In our area, the Joseph Priestly House in Northumberland will be celebrating Charter Day by unveiling: Dr. Joseph Priestley's Fizzy Water.  Costumed docents will be in each room of the house to share the history of our great site and Dr. Priestley himself will be performing 18th Century Chemistry Demonstrations in the Pond Building.  Food will be available from the When Pigs Fly food truck. The museum will be open, with free admission, from 1-4pm
https://www.facebook.com/Joseph-Priestley-House-Museum-183615968366918/

At The State Museum In Harrisburg Pa, You Can View William Penn's Personal Copy Of The Original Charter
Each year the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission sets aside one day in March as Charter day.  On that day, you can view the original charter.  The Charter will remain on display through 12 noon, Friday, March 15. For the remainder of the year, the Charter is safeguarded in a special vault within the Pennsylvania State Archives.
(Read more about the charter here)

 Admission to The State Museum is free on Charter Day, Sunday, March 8, and includes visits to the Planetarium, the Curiosity Connection and galleries. Free admission to the Planetarium and Curiosity Connection is limited. Timed tickets are available at the Front Desk. http://statemuseumpa.org/event/charterday/
The Museum is located at 300 North St. Harrisburg, PA 17120 

In honor of the 150th anniversary of the passage of the 15th Amendment, the Pennsylvania State Archives will also exhibit two rarely seen documents: Pennsylvania’s Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery (1780) and the state’s ratification of the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (1869), which ensured the right of Americans to vote, regardless of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”
===================================
A List Of State Museums Participating In Charter Day:

 Alleghany County
Pittsburgh - Fort Pitt Museum

Beaver County
Ambridge - Old Economy Village

 Berks County
Womelsdorf - Conrad Weiser Homestead
Birdsboro - Daniel Boone Homestead

Bucks County
Morrisville - Pennsbury Manor (William Penn's estate)

Centre County
Boalsburg - Pennsylvania Military Museum

 Delaware County:
Chadds Ford - Brandywine Battlefield Park

Erie County - 
Erie - Erie Maritime Museum & Flagship Niagara

 Lackawanna County
Scranton - Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum 12-5pm

 Lancaster County
Ephrata - Ephrata Cloister
Lancaster - Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
Strasburg - Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania

 Lebanon County
Cornwall - Cornwall Iron Furnace

 Luzerne County
Weatherly (near Hazelton) - Eckley Miners’ Village

Montgomery County
Horsham - Graeme Park
Fort Washington - Hope Lodge

Northumberland Count
Northumberland - Joseph Priestley House

 Potter County
Galeton - Pennsylvania Lumber Museum

 Venango County
Titusville - Drake Well Museum

 Westmoreland County
Jeanette - Bushy Run Battlefield
=================


Posted by on No comments:
Labels: , ,

Friday, February 14, 2020

This Months News & Events -

A quick look at what is happening in the Central Susquehanna Valley, including upcoming events, new store openings, nature notes,  and more.


DECEMBER 2024
================

At this time, it has become too time consuming to compile all of the weekly events here.  For now, I attempt to compile them into one facebook post each Thursday or Friday.  I may come back to this monthly calendar, I'd like to, but unfortunately there are only 24 hours in a day, and my current schedule fills all of them!  :-) 

Find the index to Christmas guides - light displays, train displays, and more, here:
https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/11/christmas-in-valley.html
==================



=========
Upcoming Events:
=========
Click on the name of an event to see the details.  


===============
Find More Local Guides(Where to find waterfalls, covered bridges, thrift stores, etc)
================
===============
==================
PAST EVENTS
==================
saved for when I make next years list

12-15th - Beavertown Fire Co. Hillbilly Fever Days - held at Possum Hollow Park, Beavertown with live entertainment nightly, children’s activities, hayrides, fair food, vendors, raffles.




26th - !The Great Race Stops In Lewisburg!  "This storied event features an eclectic array of antique vehicles, each with an average age of 63 years, including gems from the early 1900s. From classic fire trucks and sturdy sedans to elegant convertibles and rugged pickup trucks, the race is a rolling museum of automotive history. " Read more, and see the list of activities for that day, here: 
https://www.visitcentralpa.org/event/the-great-race-comes-to-lewisburg!/20369/



Posted by on 1 comment:
Labels: ,

Thursday, December 26, 2019

The Histories Behind The Unique Things That Drop On New Years Eve In PA

The Ball That Started A New Years Eve Tradition

According to a 2018 article in the Philadelphia Enquirer, Pennsylvania has more unique, and downright nutty, New Years Eve drops than any other state.

In our local area, look for the light bulb drop in Sunbury, the Baseball in Williamsport, Yuengling bottle in Pottsville, The Kettle Drop in McClure, the Coal in Shamokin, and in Northumberland PA, join the Countdown To Noon and see an Oxygen Isotope drop.

A Time Ball, Used To Tell Time, In Boston

What Inspired Us To Drop Things on New Years Eve?
     In the 1830's and 1840's,  canvas "Time Balls" were dropped near ports and harbors to help ship captains tell time.  The time ball at Greenwich Station was lowered at exactly 1pm each day.  They were eventually replaced with more reliable time keeping methods.

In 1905, Adolph Ochs, owner of the New York Times, began a tradition of a New Years eve party with fireworks, originally to celebrate the opening of his newspapers new headquarters at one Times Square.  Traditionally New Yorkers would gather at Wall Streets Trinity Church to hear the bells ring on New Years Eve, but Adolphs fireworks display quickly became the more popular event.

     Two years later, in 1907, the city, concerned that the embers would spark a fire,  banned fireworks displays.  Walter F. Palmer, editor of the Times, suggested Adolph create a Time Ball to replace the fireworks. Adolph hired Artkraft Strauss to build the ball, which was composed of wood and iron and 100 light bulbs.  The ball weighed over 700lbs, and measured 5 feet in diameter.   And thus began our new years eve tradition of watching the ball drop.

     From there, local towns and cities were inspired to create their own displays, often based on the towns unique history or landmarks.  Pennsylvania has one of the largest varieties of such New Years displays.  Below is a list, in alphabetical order, of some of the weird things Pennsylvanians drop on New Years eve, and the histories of why they chose those items.

An Alphabetical List Of Things
Dropped in PA on New Years Eve
And the Histories Behind Those Items

Akron Pa  (Lancaster County) - Purple & Gold Shoe
Broad Street Park, Akron
"Early in the 20th century, the Miller Hess Shoe Company became the dominant factor in the Borough's economy, a role it maintained until it closed its doors in 1985."

Allentown Pa - Liberty Bell
Event No Longer Held
During the Revolutionary war, the Liberty Bell was hidden in a church in Allentown PA.


Beavertown - Beaver
Event returning for 2025


Bethlehem Pa - A Peep
A child friendly event, the peep drops at 5:30pm instead of at midnight.  :-)
Bethlehem is home to the Peeps factory.

Burnham Pa - Train Wheel
I'm unsure if this is happening in 2019.
The Drop "honors local business Standard Steel".  In 2018 it was held at the Lions Club building.  Contact the Burnham Fire Company of Lions Club for more information.

Carlisle PA - A Button, or A Car
Before the chalkboard painted vw bug is dropped, the public is invited to doodle on it.
WILL NOT TAKE PLACE IN 2019
In previous years, they dropped a button.


Cleona Pa - A Giant Pretzel
Event has been Discontinued
Cleona is in Lebonan County Pa, an area known for pretzels.  But I believe this event paid homage to the Cleona Pretel factory, which was torn down in 1956.



Dillsburg - Pickle
See a video here - 
There is a little pickle drop at 7:30
Mr Pickle is lowered at midnight on East Hanover Street.

Duncanon - Sled
A 10-foot sled, a model of the famed Lightning Guider  manufactured at the Standard Sled Factory in Duncannon from 1904 to 1990, drops  at the Clarks Ferry Tavern - https://www.facebook.com/events/duncannon-borough/duncannon-sled-drop/126402151488956/
(this event may occur at 10pm?)

The Lighting Guider Sled Company was based in Duncanon Pa.  The old warehouse is now home to a sled museum and large antique mall.


East Petersburg - Hayden's Jug
Hayden's jug is a whiskey.  Hayden Zug was a restaurant in East Petersburg Pa (now closed).

Easton Pa  - Crayon
In 2010, The Crayola Factory in Easton Pa lowered a 100lb orange crayon on New Years eve.  This appears to have been a one time event.

Elizabethtown - Rising Star

Christ Lutheran Church holds a "Raising of Star at 7:00 PM in honor of midnight in our sister city, Letterkenny Ireland"  (contact the church for details, I do not see info for 2019 - https://www.facebook.com/pg/ChristLutheranEtown/)

Falmouth - Stuffed Goat
EVENT NO LONGER HELD
This event stopped occurring years ago.   The Goat races however, continue each year - 
Falmouth is home to a Goat Race each September.  This annual event was started as a joke, but has been going strong for more than 20 years.


In Gettysburg, they raise Abraham Lincoln's Hat at midnight


 
Hallam - Shoe
https://www.facebook.com/FirstNightHallamPA/
Inspired by the Haines Shoe House - one of my favorite museum tours in PA.
"Mahlon ‘The Shoe Wizard’ Haines built a shoe sales empire in central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland that included more than 40 stores. Haines had a flair for outlandish advertising, calling himself ‘Colonel’ Haines and offering money to smokers if they promised to quit and to those in a crowd who could identify him. The Shoe House was his ultimate gimmick. Built in 1948 (when Haines was seventy-three years old) of stucco over a wood and wire framework, there are seven rooms but really only enough space for a small family. The shoe motif is everywhere, including a stained glass window with an image of Haines in it. Haines offered the house free to elderly couples, who could live for a weekend like “kings and queens” at Haines’s expense. After 1950, it was also offered to honeymooners who had a Haines Shoe Store in their town."


Hanover PA - Pac Man 
An 8 foot lighted pac man is dropped from the top of the arcade - 


Harrisburg PA - Strawberry
The Strawberry is a reference to Harrisburg's Strawberry Square, and will drop from the Hilton Harrisburg, beginning one minute before midnight.
There's also a kids event, with a balloon drop, featuring 1,000 balloons, at 10pm

Hershey Pa - A Hersheys Kiss
A 7-foot, 340-pound Hershey’s Kiss is raised in ChocolateTown Square (in the town, not Hershey Park), with fireworks at midnight.
http://www.hersheynewyears.org/

 Highspire - Candy Drop
Highspire Memorial Park/Field, Second and Lumber street 
A large box of candy is lowered, then opened for the candy to spill out.
Highspire drops candy in commemoration of the Knights Candy Store that operated there during the 1950s to 1970s
Info: www.highspire.org, or call the Highspire Borough office, 717-939-3303.

See a video of the 2014 drop here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IONzl2x37Ic
Hummelstown - Lollipop
EVENT DISCONTINUED?
Inspired by the Gladstone Candy Company in Hummelstown.

Kennet Square - Mushroom
Kennet square is known as the mushroom capital of the world.

Lancaster - Red Rose
"A symbol of the War of the Roses between Lancaster and York, the celebration takes place at Binns Park." https://visitlancastercity.com/event/nye-in-lancaster-city/

"The Wars of the Roses were a series of bloody civil wars for the throne of England between two competing royal families: the House of York and the House of Lancaster, both members of the age-old royal Plantagenet family. Waged between 1455 and 1485, the Wars of the Roses earned its flowery name because the white rose was the badge of the Yorks, and the red rose was the badge of the Lancastrians. After 30 years of political manipulation, horrific carnage and brief periods of peace, the wars ended and a new royal dynasty emerged."

York Pa hosts the dropping of the White Rose - https://www.yorkcity.org/visitor/annual-york-city-events/nye/


Lebanon - Bologna
The NYE Bologna Drop will be held on South Eighth Street, between Chestnut and Cumberland Streets. This year's event is being sponsored by Godshall's Quality Meats, maker of Kutztown and Weaver's Bologna; Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC; City of Lebanon, and Downtown Lebanon-A Main Street Community.

The bologna itself is distributed to a local food bank and animal shelter following the drop. 

Liverpool - Canal Boat
Event Appears To Have Been Discontinued some time ago.

McVeytown - Ice Cream Cake
Harshbargers Malt Shop is one of our favorite places to stop any time we are in the area!



Mechanicsburg - Wrench

Mechanicsburg - Yellow Breeches
Lower Allen Township drops Yellow Breeches in honor of yellow breeches creek.  Baby yellow breeches are dropped at 10pm, and the large breeches are dropped at midnight.

Meyerstown - Bayer Aspirin Tablet Drop


McClure-  Kettle
The Kettle is a nod to the Bean Soup dinners, started as a reunion for Civil War Soldiers.  Read more about the annual Bean Soup Festival here - https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2015/09/mcclure-bean-soup-festival-fair.html

Middletown -  Spoctogon
No Longer Held?
"The “sphoctagon" drop in Middletown had become a New Year's Eve tradition over the last nine years, but after declining attendance and budget worries, Middletown officials decided this would be a year to take a break from the event.

The “sphoctagon,” as Middletown residents call it — a cross between sphere and octagon — was an invention of a local metal fabricator who was asked to come up with an item for the borough to drop to usher in the new year." https://www.pennlive.com/midstate/2010/12/sphoctagon_drop_mothballed_thi.html

New Bloomfield - Huckleberry

The Box Huckleberry plants in Pennsylvania are though to be 13,000 years old  - older than California's Sequoias - https://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/literary-cultural-heritage-map-pa/feature-articles/pennsylvanias-oldest-citizen

Newville - Big Spring
I believe this event has been discontinued.  Please let me know if you see information on this still occurring.
The area is known as the Big Spring watershed.


Northumberland - Oxygen Isotope (often called an Atom drop)
Occurs at NOON
This is an event geared towards kids, with the drop, based on the discovery by Joseph Priestly, occurring at noon. 

Pittsburgh Pa - Ball of Recycled Materials

Pottsville Pa - Yuengling Bottle


Reamstown Pa - Wobbly Bob on A Barrel

Red Lion - Lion Holding A Cigar
Red Lion use to drop a wooden cut out of a lion holding a huge replica of a cigar over his head.  I do not see mention of the drop in this years New Years eve brochure, found here: https://www.redlionpa.org/special-events/424-new-year-s-eve-celebration

Find the history of Red Lion Cigars, and the drop, here:

Seven Valleys - Chicken
At The Valley Tavern
See a video of the drop here - https://youtu.be/nYrcrFsvN5s
Shamokin Pa - Coal
I cannot find information about this years event specifically, but here is an article about the tradition - https://fox56.com/news/local/pa-home-to-some-of-the-most-unique-nye-traditions
Shippensburg - Anchor
https://club.shippensburgrotary.org/page/drop-the-anchor

Sunbury Pa - Light bulb
Sunbury does not actually drop a light bulb - they light it and raise it!
The light bulb is in recognition of Thomas Edison lighting the first three wire lightbulb on a building in Sunbury Pa.  Read more about that here - https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2019/10/when-edison-came-to-our-valley-shamokin.html
Tamaqua - Eagles Rise On The ABC High Rise
https://wnep.com/2019/12/04/new-years-eve-celebration-back-on-in-tamaqua/
Cancelled last year for maintainance issues, this event returns for 2019


Williamsport  Pa - Baseball
No Longer Occurs
 An article  from 2019
https://fox56.com/news/local/lycoming-county-new-years-eve-tradition-draws-crowds
South Williamsport is home to the Little League World Series

Wolmesldorf - Cigar
2019 event - https://www.facebook.com/events/582046582595503/

 "In 1840, a young journeyman cigar maker named Adam Valentine strolled into Womelsdorf.
At the tender age of 16, Valentine already had seven years of cigar rolling under his belt. Having learned the trade at the hands of cigar men in Lebanon County, he crossed over to Berks with plans to strike out on his own.

 By the time he died in the late 1800s, Valentine owned 17 factories and produced numerous brands of cigars with patriotic names such as the General Greene and Betsy Ross.
His presence in western Berks County spawned an industry that turned Womelsdorf and nearby communities such as Myerstown, Newmanstown and Wernervsille into a cigar-making region.

 "At one point, there were 38 cigar makers in this little town," said Earl Ibach, a Womelsdorf historian who chronicled the history of cigar making in his book, "Tulpehocken Cigarama."
Ibach's family manufactured cigars in Newmanstown at the turn of the 20th century."http://www2.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=182456



York - White Rose
"A symbol of the War of the Roses between Lancaster and York"

 "The Wars of the Roses were a series of bloody civil wars for the throne of England between two competing royal families: the House of York and the House of Lancaster, both members of the age-old royal Plantagenet family. Waged between 1455 and 1485, the Wars of the Roses earned its flowery name because the white rose was the badge of the Yorks, and the red rose was the badge of the Lancastrians. After 30 years of political manipulation, horrific carnage and brief periods of peace, the wars ended and a new royal dynasty emerged."

 Lancaster drops the red rose - https://visitlancastercity.com/event/nye-in-lancaster-city/

================
Posted by on No comments:
Labels: , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)