Celebrate New Year’s in Escanaba with a pasty drop

ESCANABA — If you’re looking for something to do on New Year’s Eve but you aren’t interested in the traditional ball drop, consider Escanaba as a destination. Rather than dropping a ball at midnight, the city will drop an iconic U.P. dish…a pasty.

It’s the city’s second annual pasty drop, and it’s put on by the Downtown Development Authority. Because of its one-of-a-kind nature, last year’s drop garnered some national attention.

“We actually had media call us from Pennsylvania, all over the United States asking about it, because it is very unique and obviously unique to the Upper Peninsula,” Escanaba DDA executive director Ed Legault said.

In addition to the pasty drop, other festivities will fill out the night, including fireworks at the municipal dock. The event is currently made possible by community volunteers and donations.

“They want to put out a very nice civic event that people can bring their kids [to] and just have some fun with it,” Legault said. “It’s a lot of donation at this point in time.”

Once the pasty is hoisted up by crane it can be seen from many locations around downtown.

While this year won’t be as cold as last, hot chocolate and cookies will be available for anyone looking to warm up…maybe even some pasties.