A Drop into 2016
By Steve Herring
Published in News on January 1, 2016 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Meredith Kurtz and her daughter Lylah, 3, celebrate the coming of the new year at the annual Pickle Drop in Mount Olive Thursday night. The family travels from Raleigh each year to take part in the event
MOUNT OLIVE -- Aria Collie clutched a toy plastic pickle brought from her home in Wilson.
After all, the 5-year-old hadn't really known what to expect at her family's first trip to see Thursday's New Year's Eve Pickle Drop hosted by the Mt. Olive Pickle Co. at the corner of Cucumber and Vine streets.
"She wanted to bring it because she was going to watch the Pickle Drop," said her dad, Ryan.
Aria, her sister, Dasia, 6, and parents, Ryan and Amanda Collie, agreed the 17th annual event was worth the trip and time and not even a light shower could spoil the fun.
The weather was mild and some were wearing shorts and flip-flops.
The raindrops that had stopped earlier in the afternoon started falling again just minutes before the glowing 3-foot long plastic pickle began its descent down a flagpole and into a redwood pickle tank at the stroke of 7 p.m. -- or midnight Greenwich Mean Time.
Umbrellas and hoods went up, but no one left as the marquee timers counted down the final few minutes to 7 p.m.
A stream of water shot into the air followed by a balloon release from inside the vat as the pickle disappeared.
The Collies were among the thousands of people packed into the area of Cucumber and Vine streets many wearing brightly colored hats, some with flashing lights and there were plenty of noisemakers getting vigorous workouts.
A line formed as people waited to get into the pickle company gift shop.
Free refreshments and Mt. Olive pickles were provided.
Attendees who brought canned food items to benefit the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina received a chance to win a door prize.
Live musical entertainment was provided by the Harmony Boys, a Pickle Drop staple, and Dr. Alan Armstrong played "Auld Lang Syne" and "God Bless America" on the bagpipes as the attendees sang along.
"We heard about this a couple of years ago," Collie said. "We just decided it was something the kids could participate in because it is early."
Collie said they had fun and had sampled some of the free pickles.
"I have not eaten a big dill since I was a kid, but I had two of them," he said. "I have another in my pocket. We are going on back to Wilson because pretty soon it is going to be time to get them to bed. We will relax and hang out at the house."
Aria said her favorite part of the night had been when the balloons went up.
Prior to the start, many people were taking photos and selfies with the vat and pickle in the background.
After the drop the lighted pickle was placed in front of the vat for another round of photos and selfies.
Scott and Victoria Respiss and children Finn, two and a half, and baby Camden, of Greenville were among those posing with the pickle.
"Actually we had a friend of ours who oddly enough she wasn't even from around here, she is from Oregon and she came last year," he said. "She attended East Carolina University and had children and was looking for something to do New Year's and came here last year.
"So we decided to come and see what it is all about -- a family trip. It was definitely worth the wait (to see it)."
"He (Finn) was very excited," Mrs. Respiss said. "We had a great time."
"The whole way here he was saying, 'I'm ready to go see the Pickle Drop,'" Respiss said. "He has been practicing his countdown."
They had even stopped on the way to buy spinning noise makers that Finn was having a little bit of a problem getting the hang of.
The Pickle Drop was started in 1999 by the late Johnny Walker, Mt. Olive Pickle Co. president emeritus.
Walker had been inspired by a 1950s publicity stunt by Pickle Packers International in Chicago that invited past World War II bombardiers -- who claimed they were so accurate they could drop a bomb in a pickle barrel -- to drop pickles from a skyscraper into barrels on the sidewalk.
In that first year of the Pickle Drop, eight people attended, including company mascot Mr. Crisp.
In 2001, the event opened to the public and has grown ever since with new additions and improvements made every year.
First, a countdown marquee was added. Next, the pickle was rigged with interior lights.
The usual "splash" of the pickle dropping into the barrel -- created by a man throwing a bucket of water behind the scenes -- has been replaced by water shot into the air followed by the balloon release.
In 2007, the Mt. Olive Pickle Co. joined forces with the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina to help collect food for the organization.
Today, the event helps to bring in about a ton of food to the nonprofit. People who bring in food receive a ticket for chance to win prizes.
The Pickle Drop was also available to watch online at www.mtolivepickles.com.