About 600 balloons rained down on nearly as many revelers at Homewood’s annual Noon Year’s Eve Day, now in its 16th year at the Homewood Auditorium.
Alissa Opyd, Homewood’s community events manager, said similar events in the late 1990s were “ball drops” at the Homewood Fire Department, but the millennium celebration marking the start of 2000 took place in the Homewood Auditorium with a balloon drop, establishing the current tradition.
“Ever since, we have done it every year,” Opyd said.
Filling the auditorium has never been a problem, she said, and this year was no exception. The Chicago Boyz Acrobatic Team, a professional gymnastics troupe of boys and young men from the Chicago area, were welcomed back for their third performance. The entertainment opened to a packed house at 11 a.m. on the auditorium floor and continued full throttle for 45 minutes. A thorough crowd-pleaser, the 2013 “America’s Got Talent” semi-finalists performed nonstop under the direction of former professional gymnast Tim Shaw, who brought youngsters out of the audience for some interactive entertainment with the troupe.
“They have such an incredible high-energy show that everyone loves to have them at our event to celebrate the New Year,” Opyd said.
Upon entry, every one in attendance was offered a choice of wearing a tiara or a hat to enhance the festive mood.
Frankfort resident Christen Petrick said that because the event included even the youngest children, she and her friends from Homewood and Orland Park attended. She said Frankfort has a similar celebration, but it is only for children ranging in age from 3 to 8, so Petrick’s daughter Layla, 2, couldn’t attend.
“We wanted to be able to go somewhere with the kids, since they probably won’t be up that late (on New Year’s Eve),” Petrick said.
Ditto for the Glass family of Park Forest. William and Alyssa Glass said they brought their son Phillip, 2, out for some fun after “looking for something to do” on the Village of Homewood’s website.
Following the entertainment — and with only minutes left to the noon countdown — guests were invited to leave their seats and gather on the floor of the auditorium. While noisemakers were handed out, the crowd jockeyed for position beneath the massive netting holding hundreds of balloons of various sizes, colors and patterns designed by Garrett Design.
Homewood’s Mayor Rich Hofeld ticked off the final 10-second countdown, after which everyone was invited to enjoy “sliders” donated by the Homewood White Castle, an event sponsor along with Comcast.
A photo booth topped off the celebratory experience, allowing everyone to document their time at the event.
“It’s a wonderful way for the family to ring in the New Year together,” Opyd said.
Ginger Brashinger is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
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