{"id":103642,"date":"2026-01-02T21:01:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T21:01:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/103642\/"},"modified":"2026-01-02T21:01:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T21:01:08","slug":"the-cape-rings-in-the-new-year-in-style","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/103642\/","title":{"rendered":"The Cape rings in the new year . . . In style"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Wednesday\u2019s New Year\u2019s Eve celebration in the South Cape did have one obvious similarity to the party in New York\u2019s chilly Times Square. It was cold \u2014 by Florida standards at least. But the commonality didn\u2019t end there.<\/p>\n

While thousands of revelers braved the crisp conditions to say goodbye to 2025 and hello to 2026 at the annual New Year\u2019s Celebration and Ball Drop in the South Cape, the event featured diverse food and drink selections, as well as music acts both on the main stage and at the numerous bars and eateries in and around Southeast 47th Terrace and 10th Place.<\/p>\n

The event also featured live entertainment courtesy of the city\u2019s Special Events Coordinator Todd King, who spent the first hour or so conducting dance contests until the \u201cfirst\u201d ball dropped with accompanying fireworks. This \u201cearly\u201d ball drop was for the kids who weren\u2019t \u201callowed\u201d to stay up past midnight as well as those who were responsibly adulting.<\/p>\n

Cape Coral resident Michele Shadrach took turns on King\u2019s dance machine as she was having fun celebrating the new year, although she said she and her husband Tom weren\u2019t sticking around for midnight.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love this event,\u201d Michele said. \u201cThere are so many kids. It\u2019s good to see them out because we never get to see them anymore, and they\u2019re having a ball.\u201d <\/p>\n

Michele is hoping for a great 2026, especially good health. Tom has retired and enjoys golfing and fishing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have grandkids from St. Louis over,\u201d Tom said. \u201cWhen the 8 p.m. ball drops, we\u2019re going to go home and light sparklers at the house.\u201d <\/p>\n

Mark Gilbert and his wife, Melissa, also enjoyed the evening. Relatively new to the area (two years), they came for the attraction in South Cape.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted to come downtown to check it out and support the community. We love Cape Coral,\u201d Melissa said. \u201cThis year was great. We\u2019re still here. We hope for health and happiness in 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s great to see the town coming back after three tough storms and the surrounding areas of Captiva. It\u2019s good to see some life back,\u201d Mark said. \u201cThere are a lot of people here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Their friend, Joe Gonzalez, had just arrived and thought everything looked great.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t wait to check everything out. The year was great. I\u2019m here in Florida, and I love it,\u201d Gonzalez said. \u201cEvery year I hope to keep growing and get better and be more prosperous.\u201d<\/p>\n

There were also numerous food and snack vendors and family-friendly activities, such as a trampoline and a rock-climbing wall.<\/p>\n

Ashley Barker and her family were on vacation from Indiana, so the cold didn\u2019t bother them. She took a ride on the bungee trampoline while her daughter took pictures.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re staying in Marco, but we saw this going on, and we drove here. I love that it\u2019s free. Anything free for children is great,\u201d Barker said to the agreement of her daughter. \u201cThis year was great. I have four children, a healthy husband and a great family. I want to stay healthy and stay with good habits in 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, many of the restaurants and bars were open, not to mention a lot warmer.<\/p>\n

Rhonda Payne spent New Year\u2019s Eve at the Dixie Roadhouse. Though it wasn\u2019t because she was cold \u2014 she just likes line dancing. <\/p>\n

\u201cI was going to spend time here and downtown to be a part of that. I come here a couple times a week to dance,\u201d Payne said. \u201cThis year was great. I have a great job (working for the city). I want to line dance more, work out and do some more shelling. Have a good time.\u201d<\/p>\n

The main stage featured local favorite Deb & the Dynamics as well as a throwback to the turn of the century with the Pop 2000 tour, featuring boy band favorites like Chris Kirkpatrick of NSYNC, O-Town, Ryan Cabrera, and Brad Fischetti from LFO.<\/p>\n

This, of course, was the prelude to the final ball drop and fireworks display which rang in 2026 for real.<\/p>\n


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