There is something so perfectly small town life about the Manteo New Year's Eve Celebration that once it is experienced it almost always becomes an annual tradition.
Maybe it's the 8:00 countdown and ball drop for the kids; maybe it's the street fair atmosphere with food trucks and local charities serving hotdogs, hamburgers, Reuben sandwiches and funnel cakes.
Perhaps it's the music that was outstanding this year with local band Formula starting things off at 8:00 followed by Urban Soil and their hard driving combination of urban blues, jazz and hiphop that played until it was time for the New Year.
Maybe it was the fireworks that were really spectacular this year.
Or the lighting of the new year, blazoned in luminescent blue number, "2020" from the deck of the Elizabeth II.
It's hard to say, but the combination is irresistible.
Starting things off with the kids and the 8:00 o'clock ball drop is magical though.
OK...it's not fancy. In fact, it's kind of quaint and Rube Goldberg, with the ball that lights up a ten seconds minus 8:00 p.m. It's attached to a rope on the balcony of Dare County Arts Council Gallery. That's the building that was once the County Courthouse.
The rope descends in one second increments with the kids, and some parents, counting down "...ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five..."
It doesn't matter if it's unsophisticated and low tech. It works and the kids love it.
Who know exactly what it is about the New Year's Celebration, but whatever it is, it is so perfectly Outer Banks that it is perfect.
It's a New Year so new plans are being made. Be sure to include Joe Lamb, Jr. & Associates in your vacation plans for 2020.
