After covid-canceled NYE, kids, adult parties return

By Greg Ellison

(Dec. 23, 2021) In a return to form after canceling festivities last year because of coronavirus, the Town of Berlin will host a pair of New Year’s Eve celebrations next Friday.

The end-of-year activities will begin at 5:20 p.m. with a laser- light show followed by the ball drop at 6 p.m.

Economic and Community Development Director Ivy Wells said the laser show will take place at the corner of Pitts and Commerce by Main Street.

“The screen will be as tall as the building because the bucket truck will be there to hold it,” she said.

The 40-minute laser show will wind up at 6 p.m., at which point the lighted ball is dropped.

“It’s midnight in Berlin, Germany at 6 p.m. our time, that’s why the … timeframe was chosen,” she said.

The children’s’ New Year’s Eve event will also ring in 2022 in a literal sense.

“Like we’ve done in past years, we will be giving out free child-size cowbells for everyone to ring in the new year,” she said. “This year we’ll also have some bubbles to give away to kids so we can have bubbles in the air.”

Ocean 98 Radio DJ Big Al Reno will be on hand to spin tunes throughout the evening, with the exception of the laser show.

“It’s a laser show set to music,” she said. “The majority of the music is going to come from the laser show itself.”

Wells credited former Berlin Councilmember Thom Guylas with envisioning the kids’ New Year’s Eve celebration several years ago.

“We didn’t realize how much the families would enjoy it,” she said.

Next week marks the third time Berlin has opened the event in the evening for families.

“It is actually more popular than the midnight celebration,” she said. “It’s a night where everyone can get together and celebrate the beginning of a new year.”

Following the kids’ shindig, attendees interested in marking the midnight hour will have ample time to bop around town.

“There’s a lot of downtime, so that allows families, if they want, to go to dinner,” she said. “Main Street still remains closed but that also allows staff time to set up the stage for the event that starts at 10 p.m.”

Beer and wine sales will kick off at 10 p.m.

Nonprofit We Heart Berlin will be selling adult beverages in front of the Globe Theatre at 12 Broad Street.

“They’ll have Burley Oak beer and also a selection of wine,” she said. “The Atlantic Hotel has its own bar, but that’s separate.”

Wells said the adult New Year’s Eve laser show, which starts at 11:20 p.m., will run 40 minutes and culminate with the midnight ball drop.

Wells said while the entire night provides a platform to form lifetime memories, the children’s celebration is especially poignant.

“During the earlier event, to see the kids out and families having fun, that’s really special,” she said. “We’re really happy to be able to offer that for families who want to share New Year’s Eve with their kids.”