PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The ball drop in New York City is an iconic symbol of the transition from one year to another, but midnight is too late at night for many young kids to experience its magic. So, for parents, traditions like the Countdown to Noon at the Please Touch Museum are a vital part of the celebration. About 6,000 children and their parents welcomed the new year with their own ball drop on Sunday long before sundown.
Planning a ball drop takes a lot of work. Just ask Patricia Wellenbach, the museum’s president and CEO.
“This is why we spend almost a year planning for it. So every child gets to feel welcome and part of it all.”
This year’s Countdown to Noon celebration featured two ball drops — for twice the fun. The first one went down at 11:30 a.m., and the second at 3:30 p.m.
“Everyone gets the full-court experience. There’s no short shrift if you come on the second half of the day,” said Wellenbach, who was at the doors as they opened, welcoming hundreds of children and their families.
“I think we do magic every day here at Please Touch Museum, but there are moments throughout the year where we get to be really extra special, and I think this is one of those,” Wellenbach said.
In addition to the iconic ball drop, attendees saw performances by jugglers, a kid dance troupe, kid DJs, as well as access to all the Please Touch Museum has to offer.
For kids not accustomed to the noise of a ball drop on New Year’s Eve, there was a quiet room available to them, where they could watch a live stream of the occasion.
“Parents love it, because kids go home and they’re really tired, and that’s a good thing for the rest of the day. But it is a tradition at our museum and one we actually take a lot of pride in,” Wellenbach said.