The orange and beach ball drops. Only-in-Florida New Year’s Eve traditions

Lianna Norman, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
·2 min read
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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about Times Square’s New Year’s Eve tradition.

But as some gather around the TV to watch the big, sparkly ball of lights lower over Manhattan each year, others drop beach balls, oranges or even possums.

Here’s a look at some unique New Year’s Eve traditions that only a Floridian could come up with.

Does Florida have a ball drop?

Of course Florida has its own ball drop! There are actually several throughout the state. Some cities, like Daytona Beach, drop a ball of lights in the middle of town at midnight.

But other cities have more tailor-made “only in Florida” experiences, like dropping an orange or a beach ball.

Miami, which recently ranked as the sixth-best city in the U.S. to spend New Year’s Eve, used to have one of the most unique ball drops in the country. A 30-foot, 2,000-pound neon sign of an orange wearing sunglasses used to make a 400-foot trek to the top of the InterContinental Hotel before dropping at midnight.

The physical orange ball hasn’t been dropped since 2020, but a virtual projection has taken its place.

In Panama City Beach, the town gathers to view an 800-pound beach ball drop, which is dropped from Celebration Tower, from a height 10 feet taller than the pole that the ball in Manhattan sits on.

Where can I celebrate New Years in Florida?

Two Florida cities made it onto WalletHub’s national list of the 10 best cities for celebrating New Year’s Eve.

Orlando topped the list in first place, while Miami narrowly missed the top five cutoff and ranked in sixth place.

Orlando’s wide range of quality entertainment opportunities – from clubbing, to fireworks in front of the Cinderella castle – are what has placed it at the top of this New Year's Eve list. It scored the highest when it came to the legality of fireworks, nightlife options and affordable restaurants rated 4.5 stars or higher.

Miami’s high ranking came from its sterling reputation for diverse dining options. The home of the orange drop ranked first place in WalletHub’s “restaurants per capita” category.

Which states have their own ball drop?

Plenty of states have their own versions of the iconic New Year’s Eve ball drop. Here’s a list of some of them.

  • Georgia: Peach drop, possum drop

  • Pennsylvania: Peep drop, bologna drop, Hershey’s Kiss drop, wrench drop

  • North Carolina: Acorn drop

  • New Mexico: Chile pepper drop

  • Idaho: Potato drop

  • Michigan: Cherry drop

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Does Florida have a ball drop? Yes, and there's more than one.