By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

Although the town’s New Year’s Eve ball drop drew a strong turnout, the mayor and Town Council on Monday wondered if a later start time or additional activities could enhance the event and encourage visitors to stay downtown longer.

Councilmember Steve Green (the executive editor of this paper), noted that the scheduled 6 p.m. ball drop established to make the event available to families with young children, doesn’t keep the crowd around for long. He said it’s typical to see the town clear out within a half hour. He wondered if the event could be bolstered with a later start time and added attractions.

Late last year, Sterling Tavern owner Matt Borelli had questioned why the ball drop was held at 6 p.m. and asked whether there was flexibility to push it later for the 2026 event to encourage residents and visitors to stay and patronize local restaurants and bars.

Green raised the conversation again this week. The councilman asked town staff what they observed during the recent New Year’s Eve celebration and if there was any merit in launching a slightly later ball drop.

Economic and Community Development Director Ivy Wells said the 6 p.m. ball drop was again successful, attracting 3,000 attendees. She also said the town was busier throughout the day than on previous New Year’s Eve’s, with shops seeing increased foot traffic in the lead-up to the event.

“My take on that is that people knew they wanted to wait for the 6 p.m. ball drop so the shops were busier that day,” she said. “The shops did better that day than they had in previous years. Walking around town at 7 and 7:30 p.m., the restaurants still had wait times.

“So, the streets, of course, may have been clear because we opened the road, and the shops weren’t open. But everyone was piled into the restaurants. I went to the Berlin Beer Company because there was no place to eat downtown at 7 p.m. The Berlin Beer Company was jammed. And Forgotten 50. They were all busy.”

Wells added that the point of the 6 p.m. ball drop is to cater to families, particularly those with young children.

“It’s a really positive thing that the town is doing by having a family-style New Year’s Eve celebration,” she said.

Town Administrator Mary Bohlen echoed Wells’ sentiment.

“There are lots of things for adults to do on New Year’s Eve,” she said.

Furthermore, staff discussed adding more activities to the event. Berlin Finance Director Natalie Saleh suggested adding music or ice sculptures, which were on-site during last year’s Christmas Tree lighting, around the ball drop to create a festive atmosphere and keep families downtown longer.

She said she had some conversations with parents who felt that, after the ball drop, there was little to do on the street, with restaurants too crowded and no vendors or entertainment available.

Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall suggested that staff explore potential enhancements and a slight extension of the event, such as moving the ball drop to 7:30 p.m.

Public Works Director Jimmy Charles cautioned that many attendees arrive specifically for the ball drop and may not stay, regardless of any additional programming.

Ultimately, the town’s economic and community development team will investigate the event’s timing and structure ahead of next New Year’s Eve. Wells said there is ample time to gather feedback and refine the celebration.

“We have plenty of time to decide,” she said.