Door County’s biggest, and most visually unique and spectacular, New Year’s Eve celebration will take place in a new location when 2026 says goodbye and 2027 says hello.
When The Lodge Cherry Drop takes place for the 10th time Dec. 31, it’ll take place in downtown Sturgeon Bay, Destination Sturgeon Bay announced in a March 12 email. The drop will be held near the old bell tower in Community Foundation Square at North Third Avenue and Kentucky Street.
Sponsored since the beginning by rock radio station FM 106.9 The Lodge, the Cherry Drop has been held in downtown Sister Bay since its inception. The annual event is centered around a 300-pound, 6-foot-around, lighted metal cherry that dangles more than 100 feet above the ground from a crane before beginning to descend at 10 seconds to midnight, with hundreds of revelers in attendance counting down the 10 seconds until the cherry reaches the ground and the clock strikes 2027. It’s a Door County version of the New Year’s Eve giant ball drops held in Times Square in New York and other celebrations around the world.
FM 106.9 The Lodge announced in a news release March 12 that it “evaluated several potential sites in an effort to maintain the festive, community-centered atmosphere that has defined the event,” before selecting Sturgeon Bay as “the best opportunity to continue the tradition while planning for future growth.”
The email from Destination Sturgeon Bay said many details and logistics for the event are to be determined, and announcements will be made as those are finalized. During its time in Sister Bay, the Cherry Drop saw DJs from The Lodge play party music from the site in the hours leading up to the drop, and the Sister Bay Advancement Association sponsored a fireworks show, the only New Year’s Eve fireworks show in Door County, and held a bonfire and skating hours at the village’s Sports Complex.
Contact Christopher Clough at 920-562-8900 or cclough@usatodayco.com.
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This story was updated to add new information.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: New Year’s Eve Cherry Drop to move from Sister Bay to Sturgeon Bay
Reporting by Christopher Clough, Green Bay Press-Gazette / Green Bay Press-Gazette
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