(WHTM) \u2014 It\u2019s almost time to ring in another year. While many will crowd Midtown Manhattan for the traditional crystal ball drop, Pennsylvanians statewide have their own twists on the celebration.<\/p>\n
Hershey Kiss Raise<\/p>\n
Downtown Hershey will play host to the annual Hershey Kiss Raise on New Year\u2019s Eve.<\/p>\n
As the clock strikes midnight in the Derry Township community, a laser and pyrotechnics display will accompany the rise of a Hershey Kiss.<\/p>\n
For folks who might not be up until midnight, the main event begins with a family hour from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with a children\u2019s musician, face painting, and more.<\/p>\n
Beginning at 9 p.m., entertainers including Burn the Jukebox take the stage leading up to the Hershey Kiss Raise.<\/p>\n
Lewistown Chip Drop<\/p>\n
After several years, a Juniata Valley staple event is back.<\/p>\n
The Downtown Lewistown Chip Drop will take place on Monument Square in the borough beginning at 9 p.m.<\/p>\n
The event features a Hartley\u2019s Potato Chip Bag Drop as the clock strikes midnight. Hartley\u2019s is based in nearby Maitland, just outside Lewistown.<\/p>\n
Kids activities and a soup and chili cookoff lead up to midnight.<\/p>\n
Mifflintown Bridge Drop<\/p>\n
For the eighth year, Juniata County will ring in the New Year with the annual Bridge Drop.<\/p>\n
It takes place beginning at 10 p.m. leading up to midnight.<\/p>\n
At midnight, a crane lowers a facsimile of a segment of the former bridge that once spanned the Juniata River, connecting Mifflintown to Mifflin Borough. The segment is adorned in lights and \u201c2026.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leading up to midnight, goodie bags and free hot dogs will be given out. There\u2019ll also be live music.<\/p>\n
Harrisburg Strawberry Drop<\/p>\n
The Capital City\u2019s annual New Year\u2019s celebration is set for Dec. 31 in downtown Harrisburg.<\/p>\n
At Midnight, the strawberry will drop, accompanied by a fireworks display.<\/p>\n
There\u2019ll also be a Kid\u2019s Glow Party beginning at 8:30 p.m. at City Hall. Kids should wear their brightest neon and white.<\/p>\n
Street parking downtown will be free after 5 p.m. and the Market Square Garage is $10 from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m., provided you enter between 7 p.m. and midnight.<\/p>\n
Lebanon Bologna Drop<\/p>\n
A tradition inspired by the Pennsylvania Dutch delicacy will take place in downtown Lebanon once again this year.<\/p>\n
Festivities begin at 10 p.m. on South Eighth Street between Chestnut and Cumberland Streets in the city.<\/p>\n
At midnight, the bologna will drop to ring in the New Year.<\/p>\n
Lancaster Red Rose Drop<\/p>\n
The Red Rose City will, fittingly, drop a Red Rose at midnight on New Year\u2019s Eve.<\/p>\n
It\u2019ll take place at Penn Medicine Park in Lancaster beginning at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n
From 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., there\u2019ll be a kids party with face painters, balloon artists, photos with characters, and more.<\/p>\n
At Midnight, the Red Rose will drop accompanied by fireworks to ring in 2026.<\/p>\n
There\u2019ll be free shuttles between the ballpark and four schools during the evening \u2014 Lafayette Elementary, Washington Elementary, Fulton Elementary, and J.P. McCaskey High.<\/p>\n
York White Rose Drop<\/p>\n
Speaking of roses, the White Rose City will also drop their namesake flora to ring in the New Year.<\/p>\n
The event there begins at 10 p.m. on Continental Square with live music from Ralph Real and the Family Jam.<\/p>\n
At midnight, the White Rose drops, ringing in 2026 in downtown York.<\/p>\n
Dillsburg Pickle Drop<\/p>\n
Staying in York County, the Dillsburg community will gather for the annual Pickle Drop.<\/p>\n
The event begins at 7 p.m. at St. Paul\u2019s Lutheran Church next to Ace Hardware with food trucks. Six Whiskey Revival takes the stage at 9 p.m.<\/p>\n
At Midnight, the pickle drops.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s also a \u201cbaby\u201d pickle drop beginning at 4 p.m. for folks who won\u2019t be up at midnight. That takes place at Dillsburg Elementary with the \u201cbaby\u201d pickle drop at 7 p.m.<\/p>\n
Gettysburg Lincoln Hat Raising<\/p>\n
This Adams County community will continue its tradition of raising President Abraham Lincoln\u2019s top hat to ring in the new year.<\/p>\n
The event takes place at the aptly named Lincoln Square in downtown Gettysburg.<\/p>\n
Leading up to midnight, food trucks will be set up and the Good Samaritan Lodge No. 336 Free and Accepted Masons will serve up free hot chocolate and water.<\/p>\n
Mechanicsburg Wrench Drop<\/p>\n
A tradition dating back more than two decades in Cumberland County, Mechanicsburg will ring in the New Year with the drop of a wrench.<\/p>\n
The event takes place from 9 p.m. New Year\u2019s Eve until 12:30 a.m. at the Washington Fire Co. firehouse on East Main Street.<\/p>\n
Devised by a Mechanicsburg Eagle Scout, it honors the history of the borough\u2019s founders \u2014 mechanics who settled in the area.<\/p>\n
Carlisle Hotchee Dog Drop<\/p>\n
Beginning at 6 p.m., the Carlisle community will ring in the New Year with a culinary staple of one of its restaurants: the Hotchee Dog.<\/p>\n
There\u2019ll be a giveaway of the hot dogs, courtesy of the Hamilton Restaurant, and a hot dog eating contest beginning around 8 p.m. Whoever can eat 20 the quickest \u2014 or the most in 10 minutes \u2014 will be crowned top dog.<\/p>\n
At 9 p.m., they\u2019ll drop a replica of the Hotchee Dog. This is so Tommy and the Hamilton Restaurant family can attend, according to Love Carlisle.<\/a><\/p>\n Also taking place as part of the event are carriage rides from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., among other events.<\/p>\n Bethlehem Peep Drop<\/p>\n Lehigh Valley-based Just Born Candy Co., makers of Peeps, will ring in the New Year dropping a massive Peep chick.<\/p>\n This will take place during PEEPSFest at Steelstacks in Bethlehem on Dec. 30 and 31.<\/p>\n The Peep \u2014 a 400-pound chick \u2014 will descend each night at 5:35 p.m., ringing in the New Year a little early to allow young kids to join in the fun.<\/p>\n Allentown Puck Drop<\/p>\n The Queen City will ring in the New Year with a Puck Drop outside the PPL Center.<\/p>\n While puck drops are obviously common at a hockey arena, they\u2019re taking it up a notch with the world\u2019s largest puck.<\/p>\n The event begins at 10 p.m. leading up to the Puck Drop at midnight and a drone show.<\/p>\n Download the abc27 News+ app on your Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV devices<\/a>, and newer Samsung Smart TVs.<\/a><\/p>\n Lehigh Valley Phantoms Mascot MeLVin will join in the fun.<\/p>\n Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<\/p>\n