Rathdrum to hold New Year's Eve celebration

By BRIAN WALKER

Staff Writer

RATHDRUM — Rathdrum will toast 2017 and usher in 2018 with a free, family-oriented New Year’s Eve celebration on Sunday night.

The celebration presented by the Parks and Recreation Department will be on Main Street from 7 to 9 p.m. A ball will be dropped at 9 p.m. (midnight on the East Coast).

"For the first time ever, we will be hosting such a celebration," said Eric Singer, parks and recreation director. "Our parks staff has built a 6-foot lighted ball that we will drop downtown on Main Street to ring in the new year."

There will be music, fire pits, games, apple cider, hot chocolate and other refreshments.

"This is an event that will be fun for the entire family," Singer said. "We have been kicking this around for the past few years and we decided to give it a try this year."

Singer said organizers originally discussed dropping the ball at midnight local time, but safety and the family-friendly concept was the top priority during the planning process.

"We decided to do the ball drop at 9 p.m., thinking we would get more families involved," he said.

There will be a scavenger hunt involving downtown businesses, outdoor bowling, a photo booth, pin-the-nose on the snowman.

"Games will be for all ages, including adults," Singer said.

Main Street will be blocked off from Mill Street to McCartney Street. It will be blocked off starting at 5 p.m. for setup and remain blocked until around 9:30 p.m.

New Year’s Eve props such as hats, glasses and noise makers will be provided.

"This is definitely something we would like to do annually," Singer said.

For more information, call 208-687-2399 or email [email protected].