Many cities towns in the United States, in imitation of the famous "ball drop" conducted annually at midnight on December 31 in Times Square, similarly drop items on New Year's Eve as part of local celebrations. Although some of the objects may seem peculiar, practically all relate to some aspect local history, geography, or culture.

Alabama

• Wetumpka, Alabama - 4-foot metal ball

Arizona

• Flagstaff, Arizona - a pine cone

Georgia

• Atlanta, Georgia - a peach
• Cornelia, Georgia - an apple

Florida

• Key West, Florida - a conch shell, a pirate wench and a red high-heel shoe
• Miami, Florida - an orange

Kansas

• Manhattan, Kansas - a 5-foot aluminium ball

Maine

• Bangor, Maine - a purple beach ball decorated with Christmas lights.

Maryland

• Ocean City, Maryland - a beach ball

Michigan

• Marquette, Michigan - a metal ball

New Jersey

• Point Pleasant, New Jersey - a mossbunker fish

New York

• New York City - 1,070-pound Waterford Crystal ball

North Carolina

• Brasstown, North Carolina - a live opossum in a cage
• Mount Olive, North Carolina - a pickle
• Raleigh, North Carolina - an acorn

Ohio

• Port Clinton, Ohio - a walleye fish, named "Captain Wylie Walleye"

Pennsylvania

• Cleona, Pennsylvania - a pretzel
• Dillsburg, Pennsylvania a pickle
• Duncannon, Pennsylvania - a sled
• Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania - a giant M&M
• Falmouth, Pennsylvania - a stuffed goat
• Harrisburg, Pennsylvania - a strawberry
• Hanover, Pennsylvania - a black rose (discontinued)
• Hummelstown, Pennsylvania - a lollipop
• Lancaster, Pennsylvania - a red rose
• Lebanon, Pennsylvania - a bologna
• Liverpool, Pennsylvania - a canal boat
• Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania - a wrench
• New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania - a huckleberry
• Newville, Pennsylvania - spring
• Red Lion, Pennsylvania - a cigar
• Shippensburg, Pennsylvania - an anchor
• York, Pennsylvania - a white rose

Tennessee

• Knoxville, Tennessee - ball, but the ball will rise instead of falling.

Virginia

• Fredericksburg, Virginia - two pears