The Coplay Saengerbund, 205 S. Fifth St., held its eighth annual Silvester Feier New Year’s Eve celebration Dec. 31, 2025. Happy attendees, ready to celebrate, had a ball at the event. The social hall was decorated to make the celebration even more special.

The event was billed as “ring in the new year with a European flair.” Attendees celebrated their German and Austrian heritage at the Silvesterabend (New Year’s Eve) with a 6 p.m. Champagne toast, which coincided with midnight in Vienna.

The New Year’s Eve celebration began 3 p.m. with a hot buffet meal. The cost per attendee included the meal, beer, soda, juice and water. Cake with coffee or tea was served after 5 p.m. There was a cash bar available.

The Emil Schanta Band entertained the crowd 4-7 p.m., with ethnic Austrian and German music, traditional New Year’s songs and more.

The revelers hoisted Champagne glasses and toasted the New Year with balloons released from the ceiling, dancing and the playing of “Auld Lang Syne.”

“Auld Lang Syne,” originally a verse written by Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1788, is a nostalgic song that was adopted for a variety of purposes around the world. The song achieved even higher prominence in America as the closing song of the holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life,” starring Jimmy Stewart and released Dec. 20, 1946.

During the American Civil War, “Auld Lang Syne” was sung by Union soldiers hoping the war would end forever. Some Union officers thought it was bad for morale and unsuccessfully tried to suppress the song.

Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, when the South surrendered, ordered the Army Band play “Auld Lang Syne” at the surrender signing ceremony.

The Saengerbund event included hats, noisemakers and traditional songs from Vienna’s New Year’s Eve Ball to ring in 2026. Attendees looked wonderful in their finery.

The name Silvester comes from a 4th-century Roman saint — Pope Silvester I. When the Gregorian calendar was reformed in 1582, the last day of the year was placed as Dec. 31. This combined St. Silvester’s feast day, Dec. 31, with what we now call New Year’s Eve.

Feier is defined as “celebration.”