A MoonPie, a Pickle and More Quirky New Year's Eve Drops Throughout the South

New York City may have its New Year's Eve ball drop at One Times Square, but only in the South can you welcome in the new year with everything from a MoonPie to a pickle to a possum, among other assorted items.

Here's a quick look at the many quirky drops around the region.

MoonPie Drop in Mobile, Ala., photo courtesy of Visit Mobile

It's a known fact that food plays an essential role in the South, and that sentiment extends into New Year's Eve drops:

• Hal's and Mal's in Jackson, Miss., ring in 2026 with a Catfish Drop, the culminating event of their Catfish Ball.

• Greet 2026 with an Oyster Drop and more in Bay St. Louis, Miss.

• Mobile, Ala., hosts MoonPie Over Mobile. The highlight, of course, is the 600-pound electric pie lowered from atop the 34th floor of the RSA Trustmark building to usher in the new year. 

• Celebrate the new year's arrival with a giant, illuminated shrimp at Amelia Island, Fla.'s New Year's Eve Shrimp Drop, hosted by Light Up Amelia and The City of Fernandina Beach. 

• Say hello to a new year with glowing tangerine at the Tangerine Ball Drop in Brooksville, Fla.

• A giant lighted pineapple drop is the way Sarasota, Fla., welcomes in 2026. 

• Florida loves its oranges, especially for the new year. Ring in 2026 in Miami, Fla., as "Big Orange," a 35-foot neon smiling orange, ascends the side of the InterContinental Hotel. 

• Sloppy Joe's in Key West, Fla., sponsors the Dropping of the Conch Shell to celebrate the start of a new year.

• Honoring its annual blueberry festival, downtown Burgaw, North Carolina, puts on the Blueberry Drop, featuring a giant metal blueberry.

• Mount Olive, N.C., is home to the Mt. Olive Pickle Company. To welcome 2026, the company lowers a glowing 3-foot pickle down a 45-foot flagpole.

• Downtown Morehead City, N.C., hosts a Crab Pot Drop early in the evening so all ages can enjoy it.

• All about the apple with an apple rise in Hendersonville, N.C. (home to the NC Apple Festival (Labor Day weekend) and an apple drop in Winchester, Va. (home to the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival (Apr. 24 - May 3, 2026) signals the start of 2026.

• In Mannington, W.Va., the Great Pepperoni Roll Drop welcomes in the new year. Learn more about West Virginia's state food at https://wvtourism.com/state-food-pepperoni-roll.

Bay St. Louis (Miss.) Oyster Drop, photo courtesy of 200 North Beach Restaurant

Drops in some cities and towns highlight the destination's history or personality:

New Year's Eve Beach Ball Drop at Pier Park in Panama City Beach, Fla., photo personal collection

• Eureka Springs, Ark., is nicknamed "The City That Water Built" for its healing springs, and to honor both its history and a new year, the city holds a Water Drop at Basin Springs. 

• In Baton Rouge, La., the Red Stick Revelry includes a nine-foot lighted red stick in Town Square descending for the arrival of 2026. 

• New Orleans welcomes in the new year with an eight-foot-tall fleur-de-lis drop from the top of the Jax Brewery Company.

• Water Valley, Miss., reels in 2026 with its Crappie Drop.

• When the clock strikes midnight, Hattiesburg, Miss.'s Hub City sign drops during Midnight on Front Street for the start of the new year.

• Pascagoula, Miss., welcomes 2026 with the Pascagoula Anchor Drop.

• Reelin' in the New Year Street Party at The Wharf in Orange Beach, Ala., features a Marlin Drop.

• Nashville, Tenn.'s Big Bash honors its musical heritage with a midnight Music Note Drop at the Jack Daniel's New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash.

• As the site of the annual Geranium Festival (May 16, 2026), McDonough, Ga., rings in the new year with the Geranium Drop.

• The Forsythia Ball Drop in Forsyth, Ga., welcomes the new year with a ball of forsythia flowers lowered from a tower. 

• Helen, Ga., pays homage to its Bavarian atmosphere by hosting the Dropping of the Edelweiss to celebrate 2026's arrival.

• At midnight, a brightly lit shamrock descends from atop the historic Fred Roberts building during Dublin, Ga.'s New Year's Eve Shamrock Drop.

• The New Year's Eve Beach Ball Drop at Pier Park in Panama City Beach, Fla., features an 800-pound LED-lighted beach ball and features two drops, allowing those who can't quite make it to midnight to enjoy an earlier celebration.

• Greet 2026 when the "golf" ball drops from the top of the Harbour Town Lighthouse on Hilton Head Island, S.C.

• A pair of large sparkly flip-flops descends on Folly Beach, S.C., signaling the start of the new year.

• The Ruby Drop in Franklin, N.C., happens twice (great news for those who turn in early). There's also live music, carriage rides and more.

• The Gold Nugget Drop, where a gold nugget is dropped into a pot of gold, in Marion, N.C., represents the state's gold history. 

• With the nickname "the City of Oaks," it makes sense that an acorn is lowered at First Night Raleigh (N.C.)

• Mount Airy Museum of Regional History in Mt. Airy, N.C., aka "Mayberry," raises a Sheriff's Badge for the start of the new year.

• Kure Beach, N.C.'s New Year's Celebration includes dropping a giant beach ball, followed by fireworks.

• The Pony Island Horseshoe Drop on Chincoteague, Va., features a themed costume parade, followed by a lighted horseshoe drop for 2026.

And then there are the one-of-a-kind drops across the South:

• In its second year, Piedmont, Ala.'s Squirrel Drop features Sparky the Squirrel, who paves the way for the new year.

• The Possum Drop in Tallapoosa, Ga., features a kids' zone, live musical entertainment and more. However, the highlight of the weekend event is the lowering of a stuffed possum to welcome in 2026.

• Perry (Ga.) Buzzard Drop offers a Kiddie Countdown for those who can't make it to midnight, live music, food vendors and more. Celebrate the new year's arrival as the buzzard is lowered from its perch.

• Tifton, Ga., welcomes 2026 with "Matt the Gnat" with the city's Gnat Drop. Festivities leading up to midnight include live entertainment, food vendors and more.

• Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Orange Bowl Downtown Countdown features an illuminated anchor drop to greet the new year.

• The NYE Block Party in New Bern, N.C., hosted by New Bern Parks and Recreation, has a bear drop at midnight, with a cub drop for kids at 9 p.m.

• North Carolina's Crystal Coast hosts the New Year's Eve Celebration Pig Drop at the Newport Community Park.