Every city has its own New Years traditions. Here in Bethlehem, we have Peepsfest. As a mom, I appreciate the Peep drop celebration, especially because it takes place long before midnight. We attended the Peepsfest Dec. 31, and the yellow Peep, hoisted before the Steelstacks, was a bright spot in the cloudy landscape. Before the drop, we explored the children’s activities at ArtsQuest.

The activities were divided between two floors, one ticketed, and one free. Both were very crowded. The top floor, tickets only, had a small dance floor, a stage, tables to sit at, food for sale, and two bouncy play areas, and the big draw, balloon artists Tootse and Friends. There were performances from Rolly Polly Guacamole and DJ Wesley Works. Every child received a wristband, and a swag bag of Just Born merchandise.

The middle floor held the free activities. Some local organizations had tables, and there were craft tables for the children. This was the most crowded floor. Activities included magic shows, a Peep assembly line, tie dyes, and much more.

After the activities, we went to the Peep drop area on the Levitt Pavillion. There was room for the kids to run around, and Lolly Hopwood and Friends performed on the Air Products stage. A screen displayed the minutes until the drop. The lighted Peep fell slowly, and when it reached the bottom, confetti exploded around it. The event concluded with fireworks, brilliantly lighting the sky by SteelStacks.