Want to capture some of the excitement of NYC without the travel and braving the huge crowds? Then come to Kokomo, Indiana! One of the best kept secrets for New Year’s Eve in northern Indiana is Kokomo’s ball drop. I just happened to discover it from an article online and wanted to share my experience.
My boyfriend and I arrived downtown Kokomo about ten thirty that evening, and while there were a lot of people out, it really wasn’t too crowded yet. The city of Kokomo had a few blocks around the court house marked off so there was a nice area to walk around that offered quite a few different attractions. One side of the courthouse itself was turned into a theater screen which displayed different movies made by students in the community, as well as footage from the streets themselves. There was a Techno-Dance booth where people could groove along with Playstation’s “Everybody Dance” game projected onto a screen. The best overall dancer was given a cash prize. Bubble wrap was laid all along Main Street for people to jump and stomp on.
Unfortunately, it was already smashed by the time we got there. Local businesses hosted a competition for the best party hat made out of recycled materials and awarded gift certificates for things like the most outrageous or the most glamorous. There was a stage set up near the ball drop for the party organizers to host out of, as well as for party goers to listen to the music of Mike Milligan and Steam Shovel. A large flash mob materialized around eleven thirty that night and rocked out to a medley of songs. Shortly before midnight, the hosts sent out dozens of beach balls from the stage for the crowd to play with and pass around. The whole crowd joined together for the final countdown ten seconds before midnight while the Kokomo High School TechnoKats Robotics Teams started the ball drop.
As soon as the ball touched down, a fantastic fireworks display shot off the top of the courthouse where the crowd oohed and ahhed at what was equal to many Fourth of July celebrations. Several local eateries such as the Kokomo Elks Lodge and the Upper Crust Sandwich Shoppe stayed open to let hungry revelers eat breakfast.
There were also a few other cafes and bars open in the area. We stopped in at Cook McDougal’s Pub which was directly across from the ball drop location, and it was packed. If you want to come down here to eat dinner or for extended drinking come early because it was absolutely packed. We had to wait about fifteen minutes for drinks and stand directly in the walkway because there was nowhere else to go. Luckily a bench opened up later on so we could sit down, but there was no hope of getting a table.
All and all, my boyfriend and I really enjoyed our time in downtown Kokomo and couldn’t believe we had never heard of it before! It’s a great little celebration where you can ring in the New Year without being completely overwhelmed by crowds. If you’re going to be in the area for the holidays, I recommend checking it out.