Rock Around the Clock on New Year's Eve in Tillsonburg
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Celebrate New Year's Eve in Tillsonburg at the first Rock Around the Clock and Ball Drop.
It's not a traditional Ball Drop, says New Year's Eve committee coordinator Virginia Armstrong. It's a Golf Ball Drop.
"It's something different this year."
The celebration at the Rotary Clock Tower on Broadway begins Tuesday, Dec. 31st, 9:30 p.m. with music provided by Easy 101/Country 107 from 9:30-12:30.
"We're going to have horse drawn wagon rides, with Clydesdale horses, from about 9:15 to 11 p.m.," said Armstrong, noting a minor change to their posters. "They are going to start a bit earlier than 9:30. Just a reminder to people, bring blankets to put over their legs for the wagon ride, and dress warm."
Free refreshments (hot chocolate and apple cider) will be available throughout the evening. And popcorn.
"There may be other food, but it's still tentative."
From 11-11:45 p.m. there will be a Family Fun Zone with fun activities for the family, including Minute to Win It, and from 11:45 to midnight, the town's first New Year's Eve Golf Ball Drop, followed at midnight by traditional fireworks.
"The golf balls will be launched off the back of a trailer. We'll lift the gate and they will all be released at the same time out of a hopper on the trailer. They'll go down Bridge Street through an obstacle course.
"There's only 200 balls," she noted, "and they will be numbered so we can identify the winners."
There will be prizes for first, second and third, determined by the first golf balls over the finish line.
Golf balls will be available for children to decorate at the Tillsonburg Library on Monday, Dec. 30 from 6-8 p.m. A limited number of 'undecorated' balls will also be available Tuesday night.
The town's annual free public skating will be 7-9 p.m. at the Tillsonburg Community Centre.
Tillsonburg's Station Arts Centre on Bridge Street will accessible as a Warming Station with restroom facilities on New Year's Eve.
"The Station Arts Centre will be serving up coffee," Armstrong noted, "where people can sit and warm up."
People gathering around the Clock Tower, enjoying the refreshments and music, will benefit from outdoor 'burn barrels' and outdoor propane heaters.
"People can gather around the fire," Armstrong smiled. "It'll be good for people thinking 'I don't want to go down there and freeze. I'm one of those people, I need the warming station."
There will be glow-sticks available for children.
"Jeff Smith and the fire department have been phenomenal," said Armstrong, thankful for the support to organize the fireworks. "Staff from the Town of Tillsonburg is volunteering their time. The BIA, that night, is all volunteer. And same with the Station Arts Centre. There's a lot of volunteers coming together to make it happen."
In addition to support and sponsorship from businesses, the New Year's Eve committee received donations from local service clubs including the Rotary Club of Tillsonburg, King Hiram Masonic Lodge No. 78, the Kiwanis Club of Tillsonburg, Lions Club of Tillsonburg, and Knights of Columbus. As well as anonymous donations.
"This has just kind of come about in the last few weeks," said Armstrong. "We just had to run with it and make it happen."