Georgia Magazine - December 2017 - 32

COURTESY CITY OF PERRY

velopment department. "They perch
in our trees and on our water towers.
And we embrace them. At the same
time, we didn't have any downtown
events, and we thought we'd put the
two together."
Last year's Buzzard Drop drew
about 1,000 people in the rain, and
three times that number is expected
this year if the weather is good. The
streets around the courthouse are
blocked off at 5 p.m. to welcome
them, and local restaurants are open
to offer food and drinks. Admission
is free.
Balloons go up as Bob the Buzzard goes down the pole at Perry's New Year's Eve
celebration.

THE DAHLONEGA NUGGET

kids playing," he says. "I realized a lot of people would like
something like this, and when
I suggested promoting it, I was
asked to be on the volunteer
committee that handles it. We
made a website and put out the
word on social media."
The committee also expanded the party to include
live music, food, fireworks,
kids' games and inflatables.
About 4,500 people now show
up to cheer the stuffed possum, which has its own story.
A giant golden nugget dropped at midnight in
"One of our local residents Dahlonega pays homage to the city's gold-rush past.
is a taxidermist who came
across a dead possum," Welch says. marks the end of the year by having
"He took it back to his shop, stuffed a buzzard drop into the courthouse
it and named it Spencer."
square. This particular bird had no
And because the town's name real life before becoming the holiday
back in the 1800s was Possum Snout, symbol; instead, Bob the Buzzard is
folks thought it was a fitting animal to decked out in a top hat and bow tie.
ring in the new year. But if you can't
This is the fifth year Bob will be
make it to Tallapoosa on Dec. 31, mounted on a tower almost as tall
stop by the Georgia Welcome Center as the courthouse, and just before
on Interstate 20 at the Alabama line, midnight, he'll slide down to the botand you'll find Spencer on display the tom. Bob is such a popular draw that
rest of the year.
last year the town unveiled a Bob
The New Year's party is free.
the Buzzard mascot, who roams the
event and extends New Year's greetings.
Buzzard Drop, Perry
But why a buzzard?
Courthouse Square, 801 Main St.
"They're not the most popular
perrybuzzarddrop.com, (478) 988-2720
creatures, but they roost here every
Not to be outdone by a possum, winter," explains Chris Sewell of the
the town of Perry in Houston County city's community and economic de32

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Nugget Drop, Dahlonega

Dahlonega Town Square
dahlonegafirstnight.org, (570) 899-6818
This North Georgia town also ties
its history into the New Year party.
Known as the Gold City, the Lumpkin
County seat celebrates by dropping
a 20-inch, papier-mâché gold nugget
glittering with flickering lights from a
24-foot pole on the town square.
It's such a big event that they
do it twice-first at 8:30 p.m. for the
younger set and again at the traditional time of midnight. Starting at
6 p.m., area churches and the Holly
Theatre on the square are alive with
music performed by local artists.
The "First Night" concept was
launched two years ago as a way to
raise money for North Georgia Interfaith Ministries, a nonprofit organization that serves the county's homeless
population.
"In 2015, we had about 1,100
people and raised $15,000," says Tom
Slavicek, the nonprofit's executive director. "Last year we had about 1,300
in the rain and raised about $19,000."
Admission is $10 for adults and
includes entrance to the music venues as well as the square for the nugget drop. Children 12 and younger
are free.
H.M. Cauley is an Atlanta-based
author of three guidebooks to Georgia and a feature writer whose work
regularly appears in local newspapers
and magazines.
GEORGIA MAGAZINE

http://www.dahlonegafirstnight.org http://www.perrybuzzarddrop.com http://www.georgiamagazine.org

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