Towns to celebrate New Year with symbols By BRAD RHEN, Staff Writer The new year’s arrival in the Lebanon Valley will again be celebrated with bologna, chocolate and tobacco either falling from the sky or rising up into it. In Lebanon, the 11th annual New Year’s Eve Bologna Drop is set for the parking lot at Ninth and Cumberland streets, with festivities starting at 10:30 p.m. The city of Lebanon, Community of Lebanon Association and Kutztown/Daniel Weaver Bologna are sponsoring the event. The east lane of South Ninth Street from Chestnut to Cumberland streets will be closed beginning at 9 p.m. DJ Rich will provide music. Phyl Liles of WQIC will serve as matron of ceremonies and will broadcast live from 10:20 p.m. until midnight. Kutztown/Daniel Weaver Bologna is donating a 12-foot-long specimen of Lebanon’s signature product weighing almost 150 pounds. Following the festivities, the bologna will be donated to the Lebanon Rescue Mission. The Salvation Army will provide hot drinks. In Richland, the borough will again hold a New Year’s Eve community party with a cigar drop to usher in the new year. Festivities begin at 9 p.m. A DJ will provide music for dancing at Neptune Fire Co., and games will be provided for children. Food will be available for sale. A cigar is traditionally dropped to commemorate Richland’s history in the tobacco industry. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the borough was home to several cigar factories. They have all since closed. In Hershey, the community is invited to celebrate the New Year at the third annual New Year’s Eve in Hershey, starting at 9 p.m. at the intersection of Chocolate and Cocoa avenues. Music will be provided The Alli Gillis Band and Right Food Red. The former is a country ensemble; the latter bills itself as a party band. Teen band Pink Yard Flamingos, One Broadway Dance Studio and singer/songwriter Mr. Music will provide entertainment on the Penn State Children’s Hospital Stage, on Chocolate Avenue near the First United Methodist Church, kicking off with Mr. Music at 9 p.m. New Year’s Eve in Hershey will once again feature the signature Hershey’s Kiss raise at midnight. The 7-foot-tall, 300-pound Hershey’s Kiss was created by Stoner Graphix of Hummelstown in cooperation with the Hershey Company and Hershey Entertainment and Resorts. The Kiss raise will be followed by a fireworks display by Zambelli Fireworks. New Year’s Eve in Hershey also will feature fun food from a variety of Hershey-area restaurants and community and church groups. During the celebration, Park Avenue will be closed from Chocolate Avenue to Derry Road from noon Monday to 2 a.m. Tuesday. Chocolate Avenue will be closed from Homestead Road to Hockersville Road from 8 p.m. Monday to 2 a.m. Tuesday. For more information on Hershey’s celebration, visit the Web site http://www.hersheynewyears.org. BradRhen@LDNews.com
|