New Year's Eve downtown Detroit ball drop canceled second year in a row

Omar Abdel-Baqui | Detroit Free Press

A formal celebratory ball drop will not take place in downtown Detroit this year, sinking the spirits of those who planned on attending.

Producers of "The Drop," cited sponsorship funding, scheduling and other logistical issues as reason for the event's cancellation.

This is the second year in a row The Drop, which began marking the New Year in 2010, did not come to fruition.

Last year, The Drop was canceled due to timing and space problems.

Event organizers in 2018 said they planned on hosting the event this year. They are echoing that sentiment for next year.

The Drop was moved from Campus Martius to Beacon Park in 2017 for space issues reasons. More than 36,000 people attended the ball drop at Campus Martius in 2016.

So, what to do if you still want to partake in New Year's festivities in the Motor City?

If children are involved, Beacon Park is hosting a New Year's Eve Kids Countdown from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event will include heated tents, lawn games, food trucks, balloon making and a kiddie toast station with sparkling juice.

For more adult-oriented events, The Fillmore Detroit is hosting Resolution Ball. Tickets start at $125.

The renowned Detroit Princess will host its 15th annual Rock the Boat New Year's Eve party. An $85 ticket includes a dinner buffet and more. The riverboat begins boarding at 7 p.m.

Contact Omar Abdel-Baqui: 313-222-2514 or oabdel-baqui@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @omarabdelb

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Editor's note: An earlier version of this story misidentified the role of The Social Connection. The Social Connection is a promoter. Jerrid Mooney is the organizer. This story has been updated.