The 8th annual Pelican Drop is set to begin at 3pm on New Year's Eve in downtown Pensacola. There have been some changes made to this year’s event. "We've moved the Pelican to (the intersection of) Garden and Palafox. It's a much bigger area". That’s Danny Zimmern from Pensacola Mardi Gras. They’re the company that produces the Pelican Drop for the Downtown Improvement Board. He says the new location allows for a bigger stage and more area for people to stand and watch the bird fall.
Zimmern says "the pelican is gonna be at about 120 feet. We're going to raise it at 8 o'clock and light it up." The big bird will drop to kick off the new year at midnight.
Things get under way at 3pm with the Little Pelican Party for the kids. Area churches will provide carnival games, educational organizations will have interactive displays and Pensacon will be bringing in the Star Wars storm troopers. Then at 7pm local church leaders will have a blessing of Northwest Florida. "Kind of celebrate everything that's good about Northwest Florida and insure that next year is even better. We'll have a spectacular God Bless America. We'll have the national anthem (performed) by Chloe Channell."
There will be a kid's fireworks display at 8pm. That will be followed by a much larger display at Midnight. Both fireworks displays will be shot off from the downtown parking garage. Streets will begin shutting down early in the day at Garden and Palafox, so plan your travel around those areas accordingly. Danny Zimmern says expect the street closures to be about the same as Gallery Night. There will be one exception. "Intendencia, east of Baylan, stays open until 5 o'clock so that people can get to the Tax Collector's office and pay their property taxes on the last day of the year."
The one glitch may be the weather. The National Weather Service is calling for a 60 percent chance of rain from 3pm until Midnight. Zimmern says no matter the weather, the show will go on. "If it's raining we have to do things a little bit differently but, you know, we'll be downtown. It'll still be New Year's Eve. You can't reschedule New year's Eve."
The Downtown Improvement Board asks that you leave your pets at home. Only service animals will be permitted in the party area. Also, coolers and glass containers are not allowed.
The Pelican Drop is not the only celebration in the area for New Year’s Eve. The 8th Annual Ball Drop and New Year’s Eve Street Party will be held at HarborWalk Village in Destin beginning at 6pm. In Ft Walton Beach “New Year’s Eve at the Landing” returns. The celebration begins at 6pm with the “Blingin’ in the New Year 5K Glow Run.” Fireworks and the “Treasure Chest Drop” will take place at midnight.
And in Orange Beach it’s “Reelin’ in the New Year” at The Wharf”. This includes live entertainment on the Main Street stage, a Kids Area, Fireworks, and the Marlin Drop at midnight.
