New Year’s Eve wild and unique celebrations you’ll only in North Carolina

“Should auld acquaintance be forgotten, And never brought to mind?” You may not know all the words to “Auld Lane Syne,” but you know the song as soon as you hear when the clock hits midnight.

If you’re still awake and watching “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” show on ABC11, you get to witness the Times Square ball drop.

However, there are some very unique celebrations in North Carolina to ring in the new year. It also depends on where you live; the countdown to midnight starts with the lowering of something unique that symbolizes that town or region.

Here are some unique ways to ring in the new year that you’ll only find in North Carolina

The Pickle Drop

There’s nothing to sour about this unique event. For more than 20 years, the town of Mount Olive, yes the pickle-making capital, drops a–wait for it–a giant pickle for New Year’s Eve but not at midnight. The pickle drops at 7 p.m. sharp, the website states.

The town of Mount Olive continued its tradition of dropping a giant, glowing pickle to mark the New Year.

The town starts its year-end festivities at 5:00 p.m. and the pickle makes its way down to the pickle jar at 6:30 p.m. The drop is then followed by fireworks and door prizes.

The location is at the University of Mount Olive on Henderson Street in front of the George and Annie Dail Kornegay Arena. Mount Olive is located in Duplin and Wayne Counties and has a population of a little over 4,000 people.

The Acorn Drop

For more than 30 years, the ‘City of Oaks’ has been dropping a gigantic acorn as the clock hits midnight on New Year’s Eve.

The acorn was the brainchild of public relations agent John A. Watkins, in 1992, who decided Raleigh needed a bicentennial symbol like New York City’s big apple, Atlanta’s peach and Orlando, Fla.’s orange, according to the News and Observer. Watkins settled on an acorn for Raleigh, which is also known as the City of Oaks, because of all the oak trees. Watkins asked sculptor David Benson to create the large copper and steel acorn for the city’s bicentennial and annual drop.

There will be an early countdown at City Plaza at 7 p.m. and the second drop will be at 11:59 p.m.

Egg Drop

Braswell Family Farms is hosting its first-ever New Year’s Eve egg drop at the Nashville Junction at 723 S. Barnes Street in Nashville.

The family-friendly event will be held on December 31 from 4 p.m. to -8 p.m. with a fireworks finish to ring in the new year.

Keg Drop

Several breweries across the state are hosting keg drops, including one in Durham at the Ponysaurus Brewing Co.

Festivities start at 10 p.m. with the Keg Drop and toast at midnight. There will be a food truck as well. The brewery is located at 219 Hood St.

In Knightdale, Oak City Brewing is also hosting a Keg Drop to ring in 2026. The brewery is located at 616 N. 1st Ave.

Flea Drop

If you want to see a flea drop on New Year’s Eve, head to Eastover in Cumberland County. The town is hosting its annual family-friendly NYE celebration that ends with the flea drop.

The festivities start at 10:00 p.m. with music, a flea jump and a moon pie eating contest. It’s located on Ballpark Road.

Blueberry Drop

Want to see the largest blueberry in North Carolina? You’ll need to drive to Burgaw, NC for New Year’s Eve. Festivities for the drop are from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. followed by fireworks.

The town known as the blueberry capital also hosts a ‘Blueberry Festival’ in the summer. Burgaw is located in Pender County and has a population of a little over 3,000 people. And, it’s not far (33 minutes) from Wrightsville Beach.

Pig Drop

Pigs might not fly, however, they do drop to ring in the new year in the town of Newport. Yes, you read that right. But, no, it’s not a real pig. The town drops a lighted cardboard cutout of a pig.

The town hosts New Year’s Eve festivities from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Newport’s population is just under 5,000 people. It’s located in Carteret County.

Badge Raising

For the past decade, Mount Airy, which is also known as Mayberry, the fictitious town from the “Andy Griffith Show,” rings in the new year by raising a giant sheriff’s badge.

The event is held in the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History’s courtyard; the gate opens at 11:30 pm. Mount Airy is located in Surry County. Its’ population as of the latest census is 10,611 people.

Bear Drop

Eastern North Carolina is known for many things, especially black bears. So it’s only fitting that at least one town drops a bear on New Year’s Eve, right? New Bern is your spot if you want to ring in the new year with a bear drop. The town rings in the New Year each year by dropping a crafted bear. The NYE’s block party starts at 5:30 p.m. at the intersection of Craven and Pollock in the downtown area. The Bear Cub Drop begins at 9 p.m. with the Bear Drop at midnight.

Gold Nugget Drop

If you’re hoping to add some bling to your New Year’s Eve celebration, head to Marion, NC. They drop a giant gold nugget at midnight to ring in the New Year. The town of nearly 8,000 is located in McDowell County. List of events.

If your city or town drops something unique to ring in the new year, please drop us a photo with details on the event to WTVDWeb@disney.com.

From the ABC11 Eyewitness News Family, Happy New Year, y’all!