Library helps children ring in new year, a little early

Dec. 31—The new year got off to an early start Saturday afternoon in downtown Frederick, as dance music filled a community room at the C. Burr Artz Public Library.

There were bubbles, but they floated out of a machine in the corner rather than in glasses of New Year's Eve Champagne.

In a little more than 12 hours, grown-ups would gather in the nearby Carroll Creek Linear Park to ring in the actual new year with the city's annual Key Drop celebration.

But Saturday afternoon, the library hosted a more kid-friendly event, with a kid-friendly schedule, to help the county's littler residents celebrate as well.

It was the Noon Year's Eve celebration and key drop — one of seven similar events at libraries around Frederick County.

There was a countdown at noon, followed by fans blowing out dozens of yellow paper keys, to celebrate Frederick's nickname as the Key City.

Like at any party, some children jumped right into the action, while others hung around the edges, checking out the what was going on and a little unsure about all the hubbub.

Along with the Frederick library, events were also held at libraries in Brunswick, Middletown, Myersville, Thurmont, Urbana, and Walkersville.

Some branches have been holding these types of events for years, but this year, they tried to get as many branches as possible, said Deb Spurrier, the children's services supervisor at C. Burr Artz.

The Frederick event drew more than 200 children, Spurrier said, wearing a pair of gold "Happy New Year" glasses.

She and her colleagues greeted many of the children by name as they came in, familiar from the regular story times that the library hosts for young children.

Those events help both children and their parents form relationships with each other and the library staff, Spurrier said.

"That just shows what a community hub the library is," she said.

Whitney Wright of Frederick said she noticed that the librarians at the event knew the names of many of the children.

Wright, a black New Year's Eve party hat perched on her head, said her family loves the Frederick library.

And Saturday's event was a nice way to let younger children experience the excitement of New Year's Eve without staying up past their bedtimes.

"There's absolutely no chance mine is making it to midnight," Wright said. "I don't even know if I will."

Blanca Ocampo watched as her daughter Valentina, 4, used construction paper, markers, and glue to make a bookmark, then danced and played with the bubbles coming out of the bubble machine.

They came to the event last year, and decided to come again this year, Ocampo said.

She said it was a fun way to ring in the new year.

"If she makes it to midnight, great. If not, we did this," Ocampo said.

With Saturday's turnout, the Noon Year's Eve event is likely to be a regular holiday feature, Spurrier said.

"We will be doing this every year," she said.

Follow Ryan Marshall on Twitter: @RMarshallFNP