We usually equate Peeps with Easter, but in Bethlehem, the town where the famous candy was invented, New Year's Eve is annual "PeepsFest." Each New Year's Eve, a gigantic 400-pound Peep is dropped at precisely 5:15 p.m., followed by a colorful fireworks display. The massive Peep is made out of fiberglass and, sadly, not edible.
More than 50,000 people head to downtown Mobile for " MoonPie over Mobile ," an evening of celebration and activities including the drop of a 600-pound electric MoonPie. Other MoonPie merriment includes a giant MoonPie for photos and cutting of the world's largest MoonPie in he courtyard of the Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel.
Plymouth, Wisc., proclaims itself the "Cheese Capital of the World," which is why you'll find a big wedge of Sartori cheese being dropped in the final few seconds of every year.A huge olive is lowered down the side of Frank Lloyd Wright's Price Tower, where it makes its way into a big (but disproportionately small) martini glass at midnight every New Year's Eve at Bartlesville's Olive Drop . Cheers!
Lebanon, Pa., has been the provider of this mostly obscure but much-loved luncheon meat since the 18th century. Bologna might not have the following it once did, but that doesn't stop southeastern Pennsylvanian's from celebrating their distinctive culinary heritage every New Year's Eve. It takes about 12 feet of the cured-meat to top out at 200 pounds. Major bonus points for being the only actual edible food on this list.
Possibly the only #GlowTato in the world, the giant spud has been in use for five years. About 16 people can fit inside the spud, which is illuminated on the outside by more than 10,000 lights.
This is easily the oddest one. An 8-foot sardine takes the plunge every New Year's Eve from the third story of the Tides Institute & Museum of Art . Kissing the sardine before it's raised is said to bring good luck for the year ahead. While Eastport is busy celebrating its fishing heritage with the sardine, they also extend a neighborly welcome to Canadians in attendance by lowering a giant red maple leaf at 11 p.m. to commemorate the start of the Canadian new year.
Residents of Vincennes ring in the New Year with a "watermelon drop" downtown, which kicks the year off with a good old fashioned mess. Because Gallagher.
Everyone knows about Times Square on New Year's Eve — dropping a ball to ring a new one in.
Pittsburgh does it differently — we raise ours.
But not everyone is down with playing ball. Some celebrations would rather use food. Because ... huh?
Here's 8 really strange ones.