Manhattan, Kansas will hold its 13th Annual Little Apple New Year’s Eve celebration on Wednesday night. The city is estimating up to 10,000 people will flood the streets of the Aggieville entertainment district. KMUW’s Sean Sandefur has more…
Bars, restaurants and even movie theaters across the country are gearing up for the stroke of midnight. It’s estimated that 190 million Americans will watch the ball drop in the Big Apple. But, if that’s not your style, there’s also the Little Apple.
Previous celebrations have seen thousands of people enjoying live bands, fireworks and a countdown to the drop of the Little Apple. This year, the city is expecting even more people--weather permitting.
“To me, it’s like a mini Times Square,” Manhattan Mayor Wynn Butler says. “Hopefully the temperatures will not drop down to zero degrees, but I’m sure the restaurants will all be pretty packed.”
The tradition started back in 2003. Community volunteers and local business owners wanted to bring national attention to Manhattan. According to Kate Watson, one of the first organizers of the event, the first year saw about 4,500 attendees--in the next few years, local hotels were full.
Mayor Butler says it’s since become a good boost for the economy.
“Most of our revenue comes from sales taxes,” he says. “This will bring in a number of folks, just like football weekend. It’s important to the city.”
For those who can’t make it in person, the event will be streamed live on the Little Apple New Year’s Eve website.