Atlanta is the U.S. city home to the Peach Drop, a New Year's Eve countdown tradition.
The Peach Drop is Atlanta's answer to the more famous ball drop in New York City. A large illuminated peach is lowered at midnight during the city's public New Year's celebration. The symbol reflects Georgia's long-standing nickname, the Peach State, and gives the countdown a distinctly local identity.
The tradition began in 1989, when the peach was dropped in Underground Atlanta. The event has moved or changed venue during different periods, but the peach has remained its defining object. Public programming has included live music and other entertainment before the countdown.
Atlanta's Peach Drop should not be confused with Georgia's annual peach harvest celebrations or with a generic peach-shaped decoration. Its significance comes from the object descending at midnight as part of an organized city celebration, directly echoing the Times Square Ball tradition.