Where are the wackiest New Year's Eve drops in the U.S.?

"Why let New York City have all the fun with its Times Square ball drop on New Year's Eve? Dozens of places across the U.S. will ring in 2026 by dropping a quirky assortment of fruits, vegetables, sea creatures and balls of all shapes and sizes. Many have a hometown flair. There's the giant cheese wedge in Plymouth, Wisconsin, a chile pepper in Las Cruces, New Mexico, a pinecone in Flagstaff, Arizona, and a conch shell in Key West, Florida."

"It's said in some cultures that eating fruit on New Year's Eve brings luck and wealth. Perhaps that's why many cities mix fruit into their celebrations. Miami has its "Big Orange" drop, while Sarasota, Florida, features a pineapple. There are cherry drops in Milwaukie, Oregon, and Traverse City, Michigan. Brightly lit grapes plunge from above in Temecula, California. Atlanta this year is replacing its peach drop with a "digital drone peach in the sky.""

Dozens of U.S. cities and towns ring in 2026 by dropping quirky, hometown-themed items instead of a traditional ball. Examples include a giant cheese wedge in Plymouth, Wisconsin; a chile pepper in Las Cruces, New Mexico; a pinecone in Flagstaff, Arizona; and a conch shell in Key West, Florida. Pennsylvania hosts multiple unusual drops, such as a bologna drop in Lebanon, a pickle drop in Dillsburg and a potato chip drop in Lewistown. The practice traces back to a 700-pound, five-foot-diameter ball debuted in Times Square in 1907, and copycat celebrations have spread nationwide. Fruit, beach, and novelty-item drops feature in many local traditions.

Read at NBC4 Washington