The first ball to drop during First Night Bradford 2016 activities will descend 12 hours earlier than usual when young New Year’s Eve revelers celebrate at Bradford Area Public Library early today.
The event, held in conjunction with First Night Bradford 2016 event, will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is free and open to all area children and their families at the library on West Washington Street, said Judy Carr, program and community outreach coordinator. She said families attending the library activities may enter without a First Night Bradford button, but may purchase the $5 pins in order to attend other activities throughout the day and evening.
Carr said children and their parents are encouraged to visit the library beginning at 11 a.m. to participate in a Pictionary game and other activities that include races in the large community room. Snacks will also be available.
“We’ll also have cookie decorating with cookies that are donated by John Williams” European Bakery shop, Carr said. “I have frosting for the kids to frost the cookies and sprinkles.”
She said each child at the event will be given either a New Year’s Eve hat or princess hat and noisemaker and will have the opportunity to put his or her name in for the ball drop drawing. Children whose names are drawn will have the opportunity to pull out one of 11 vertical pegs that are attached to ribbons and will allow the ball to drop a peg at a time. The ball drop at noon will be a highlight of activities.
“I’m so excited about this,” Carr said as the ball drop was set up early Wednesday in the library foyer by Bradford engineer Roy Pedersen and his assistant Dan Taylor.
Carr said this is the first year for the library to be extensively involved with First Night activities. Carr said she was included in discussions with the First Night committee and conveyed her thoughts on including the library in the event.
“I thought we needed to have something here at the library for the kids and their families,” she said. “I’m so happy we can participate and be involved with the families.”
Pedersen said he volunteered his time and services in designing the ball drop after his wife, Barb, who is on the First Night committee, asked if he could help. He readily agreed to create the ball drop, which can be used every year by the library.
Pedersen said he made the item from a 10-foot-by-3-inch board in his garage over the past couple of weeks.
After the ball drops to the lowest peg, Carr said a colorful, decorative net filled with balloons and suspended from the ceiling area will be released to create the final festive effect.
