Mt. Olive Pickle Drop makes New Year’s a big dill

What started out as a small gathering of Mt. Olive Pickle employees has grown into an annual New Year’s Eve event that draws thousands and was even named one of USA Today’s 10 Best New Year’s Eve Drops in the U.S.

This year’s event was staged in front of the University of Mount Olive’s Kornegay Arena, with a ladder truck from the Mount Olive Fire Department hoisting a giant lighted pickle among the tree tops. At 7 p.m., which is midnight GMT, the pickle is dropped into a waiting jar and fireworks immediately light up the sky behind the arena.

The whole event is finished by 7:30 p.m., and features live music, free pickles, food trucks, and door prizes for those who bring a donation for the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.