What we know: Storms cancel some of North Carolina’s bizarre New Year’s Eve “ball” drops.
Zaniness abounds in some cities and towns in the Carolinas on New Year’s Eve when the strangest of items “drop” from the sky to celebrate the new year.
Rain and thunderstorms are forecast to be up there, too, unfortunately, and the threat of bad weather forced Eastern North Carolina communities to nix their plans and try again in 2023.
Greenville canceled its emerald drop and Morehead City its crab pot drop. Mount Olive dropped its pickle drop plans.
“Safety is our primary focus towards our community,” Courtney Wade, Morehead City fire and EMS chief said on Facebook on Friday. “... So we’re going to cancel tomorrow night’s events.”
In Morehead City, showers are “likely” and thunderstorms are possible before midnight, with the chance of precipitation at 70%, according to the NWS Morehead City forecast at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Charlotte has only a 30% chance of showers on Saturday night, mainly before 7 p.m., according to the NWS forecast as of 11 a.m. Saturday.
Many drops were still a go across the state Saturday morning.
Folks are no doubt itching to get to the town of Eastover’s annual flea drop.
Or savoring the chance to witness the drop of a blueberry in Burgaw or a pig in the coastal town of Newport, plastic though it may be.
Here are a few of the more unusual New Year’s Eve drops you’re likely to see nowhere else than the Carolinas and were still scheduled to occur as of Saturday morning:
Acorn drop
Raleigh’s First Night celebration features a midnight dropping of a gigantic acorn at Fayetteville and Davie streets.
At 7 p.m., an early countdown for children and everyone else is scheduled at City Plaza.
Blueberry drop
The coastal NC town of Burgaw is set to drop a giant lighted aluminum blueberry at about 7 p.m. Saturday.
The 5th annual event from 5:30-7:30 p.m. also features food and music. A fireworks display follows the blueberry drop.
Crown lighting
CLT NYE, Charlotte’s New Year’s Eve celebration, features a midnight lighting of the Queen City crown and a large fireworks display.
Festivities start at 8 p.m. on Tryon Street at Levine Avenue of the Arts.
Flea drop
The town of Eastover, near Fayetteville, will drop a 3-foot-tall, 30-pound ceramic flea.
The town was once known as Flea Hill, the Fayetteville Observer has reported.
Festivities also include a Moon Pie-eating contest, a dance and the firing of a cannon.
Flip Flop drop
A pair of sparkly flip flops will fall from high above Center Street at midnight Folly Beach, South Carolina, followed by fireworks.
Gold nugget drop
At midnight, the NC mountain town of Marion will drop a 6-foot, 80-pound gold nugget sculpture into a pot of gold to celebrate the history of gold in McDowell County, according to Romantic Asheville.com.
The free celebration at 8:30 p.m. also includes a Comic Con costume contest, music, wagon rides and local brews and wines.
Pig drop
The coastal NC town of Newport is scheduled to drop a plastic pig at 5 p.m. Saturday.
Enjoy hot coco, music, cookies and S’Mores.
This story was originally published December 31, 2022 at 11:38 AM.