Unlike New York's Times Square Ball Drop, Maine's New Year's Eve celebrations span the state.
In Bangor, a beach ball adorned with Christmas lights is launched off of the rooftop of Paddy Murphy's. A crowd gathers below to watch the ball plunge onto Main St. Check your phone for the time though because the ball drop happens close to midnight, depending on the year.
The 4th annual Wild Blueberry Drop is happening in Kennebunk. NYEKBK Celebration will be held at 9:00 p.m. and again at midnight. Festivities start early on New Year's Eve with an indoor cornhole tournament, music, improv, games, and ice skating, according to the event's Facebook page. Entrance fees will benefit a local family who lost their home to a fire earlier this month.
If those celebrations aren't bizarre enough for you, make the trip DownEast to Eastport. It's the 14th year of the Sardine and Maple Leaf Drop, where a giant red maple leaf rings in the New Year at 11:00 p.m. for our neighbors up north in Canada on Atlantic Time. A massive sardine slithers down from the third floor of the Tides Institute & Museum of Art at midnight on the East Coast to welcome in 2019 in Maine.
While you're in Washington County, why not head to Machias for the 4th annual Lobstah Drop. (No real lobsters are actually thrown from the roof...we hope.)
It's the sesquicentennial in Auburn this year, and the city is celebrating 150 years with a street festival starting at 6:00 p.m. on Dec. 31. Live music and entertainment will continue until 1:00 a.m. It's the first official New Year's celebration for the city, according to the event's website.
If midnight is too late for you, or your kids, you can celebrate 12 hours early at the Children's Museum and Theatre in Portland. The Playscape area will host a ball drop during the New Year's at Noon celebration.
The home of the Clam Festival fittingly drops a clam when the clock strikes 7 p.m. Yarmouth's Annual Clam Drop is lowered from the Belfry with festivities starting at 6:30 p.m.
However you celebrate, stay safe and keep an eye on the forecast expected to drop wintry conditions in parts of the state.