By Gari Voss
The air was crisp, and the precipitation magically stopped for the 8pm opening of New Year’s Eve 2025. Revelers began arriving early in anticipation of good food, music, and ice skating. Yup, the ice skating rink had a line waiting with bated breath for the first skates to be given out and at-tached to feet. With the passing of time, Riverfront Park in Allegan turned into standing room only in preparation for the midnight drop of the largest New Year’s Eve Ball in Michigan.
If anyone was in the area of the Riverfront Park during the hours leading up to the official 8pm opening, they would have seen Parker Johnson and Ryan Burza, Allegan’s Downtown and Promo-tion duo, positioning the tents, fencing, electronics, lights and heat involved in the event.
“We felt like drowned rats,” chuckled Johnson. “The beauty was that the precipitation stopped before the event was slated to begin and did not return until after the ball dropped.” Maybe the pos-itive was that the post-event precipitation was snow rather than wet, slushy rain.
Visitors to NYE!25 entered a fairyland of lights and music. Entering across the boardwalk from the Allegan District Library gave a panoramic look from the Veteran’s Monyment across Riverfront Park, Mahan Park and to the brilliantly lit Second Street Bridge. Central to the panorama was Michigan’s largest New Year’s Eve Ball looming over Main Stage.
“This year, we changed the positioning of the ball drop to be over the stage,” explained John-son. “That brought a lot of positive feedback. The location made it easier for folks to know how to navigate the event, and at the end of the night, people could congregate toward the music for the ball drop.”
Arriving at the end of the Boardwalk, event trippers came to the fencing that defined the Silent Disco dance floor (basically the summer Splash Pad). First-time visitors may have wondered why the people wearing flashing earmuffs were dancing around shaking their booties, but soon they were standing in line to join the rhythmic movement.
“The Silent Disco became busy earlier this year,” stated Johnson. “Usually, it gets busy by 11:30pm, but there were times when all 150 pairs of headphones were in use.”
The disco headphones are rented from Ice Guru. The city has partnered with them for the ice sculpting for past NYE celebrations and a photo booth during Bridgefest. When they added Silent Disco earphones to their inventory, Johnson decided to give them a try.
To get to the reservation desk for the free disco headphones, guests would traverse the line of food trucks along with Tantrick Brewing Co. and Tantrick Down Under. Lines had already formed by 8:30pm with one of the longest at Coffee Rescue.
“Only a handful of food trucks operate year around,” interjected Johnson. “We have been lucky that Coffee Rscue, Patty Matters, and Big Moe’s BBQ have been at every NYE event since the first one in 2017. Mobile Crave and Around Baking Co. joined a couple years ago.”
Once through the food truck path, families arrived at the brightly lit ice skating rink. Johnson had noticed that ACP Entertainment, the company the city uses for the Ferris wheel and other car-nival rides for Bridgefest, offered a new attraction. “I saw it in their catalog and thought how fun it would be. So, we budgeted differently this year and were able to add it,” said Johnson. “There was a line waiting for skates before we opened at 8pm.”
Immerging from the activities and food, event goers had a clear view of the stage with the band in full modulation, and the New Year’s Eve Ball hanging above. Trapped on Mars made their de-but on the Riverfront Main Stage by opening the event at 8pm. Then In the Gray, a summer River-front Stage favorite, took the stage at 10pm and welcomed in 2025.
Recognition for the event’s success needs to be given to the Allegan DPW workers who coor-dinated the fence panels and fire pits, plus the NYE Ball. Add to those, the partners who set the ice rink and earphones. Then to Johnson and Burza who put on the finishing touches across the River-front before the event and coordinated takedown.
During the event, DPW workers kept the fires burning, the trash picked up, and the restrooms stocked. The County Sheriff Reserve deputies, city officers, and members of the fire department had a presence to keep the area safe.
“We really appreciate the presence of the officers and the fire department,” acknowledged Johnson. “There are a lot of people in a relatively small space. It is reassuring to have those people available.”
The Allegan County Emergency Management Unit asked if they could set up during the event. Their vehicle was set on Brady Street with a unit near the Mahan Park Gazebo. This group puts together emergency action plans for city events, but this is the first time they had a presence during New Year’s Eve. Visitors were welcome to ask questions and learn more about the Unit’s work.
