By Tom Renner
Figuratively speaking, the new year arrived two hours early in South Haven last Tuesday night.
A South Haven tradition in recent years has been that at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve 1,000 beach balls that are hovering in a net from an extended South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) ladder truck are dropped on to revelers who have been dancing the night away at the main corner of the downtown.
All was set for the ball drop at midnight Tuesday. Light rain had not deterred a crowd from beginning to gather.
Except it happened to the surprise of event organizers and dancers shortly after 10 p.m.
It’s believed that the rope used to release the beach balls became entangled in a stoplight when the wind caused the net to sway. It resulted in the premature release.
By midnight thousands still gathered downtown from the tradition of dancing to a DJ sponsored by the South Haven Area Visitors and Convention Bureau.
And on time at the stroke of midnight a spectacular fireworks show launched from the south marina culminated an enjoyable evening.
