Pictured: The annual Pineapple Drop--a great way to ring in the new year. Photo courtesy of Norman Schimmel.

This Saturday, head downtown for Sarasota’s annual New Year’s Eve block party. The celebration, which runs from 1pm-1am and is free to the public, will feature an array of events including Sarasota’s signature Pineapple Drop when the clock strikes midnight, reigning in the new year. “The Pineapple Drop is the largest new year's eve celebration in southwest Florida,” says Laura Kresl of Pro It Out Marketing and Advertising, one of the organizers of the event. “It’ll feature carnival midway rides and games for all ages. There will be fair food favorites, live music and DJs, along with special offers and extended dining in the restaurants in downtown Sarasota.”

Since 2000, the block party, which attracts around 35-40,000 people a year, has centered around the signature lowering of the lit up Pineapple as the clock ticks down to the New Year. “We put it on a crane and lower it at midnight. Following the pineapple drop, the marina lets off a beautiful fireworks show over the sarasota bay. It’s an awesome celebration, you have the carnival rides, the fireworks display, live music from national recording country artist Chas Collins, 22N – which is our local favorite dance band – and SRQ Beats who is a DJ,” says Kresl. “The party takes up about 8 blocks of the downtown area with three stages – one on Lemon Street, one on State Street, and one on Main Street. What’s really nice is that you can make a dinner reservation and have the beautiful Pineapple drop and the buzzing of the downtown all in the same night.”

Saturday, December 31st 1pm-1am, https://destinationdowntownsarasota.com/event/sarasota-new-years-eve-pineapple-drop-downtown/

Pictured: The annual Pineapple Drop--a great way to ring in the new year. Photo courtesy of Norman Schimmel.