MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. — The annual Mt. Olive New Year’s Eve Pickle Drop is once again receiving national recognition, earning a nomination for USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for the fourth consecutive year.
The popular New Year’s Eve celebration, presented by Mt. Olive Pickle Company on the campus of the University of Mount Olive, is among 20 New Year’s Eve drop events nationwide nominated by a panel of USA Today editors and subject matter experts.
Voting opened November 2 and continues through November 30. Fans of the Pickle Drop are encouraged to cast their votes daily to help the hometown tradition earn another spot among the nation’s Top 10 New Year’s Eve celebrations.
“We are so thrilled to be nominated again this year,” said Lynn Williams, Mt. Olive Pickle spokesperson. “We are also fortunate to have made it in the final Top 10 for the first three years, so we really hope we can continue that trend.”
Williams said the event’s continued national recognition is especially meaningful considering its humble beginnings.
“It’s amazing that our event has captured such national attention. When we first started nearly 30 years ago, we joked that Time Square had nothing on us. We are still a long way from Time Square. But the Pickle Drop is truly a big dill here.”
27th Annual Pickle Drop Set for December 31
The 27th annual New Year’s Eve Pickle Drop will take place Thursday, December 31, in front of Kornegay Arena on the University of Mount Olive campus.
The celebration attracts approximately 5,000 people each year and is known for its family-friendly schedule, allowing attendees to welcome the New Year several hours before midnight.
Festivities begin at 5 p.m., with the signature pickle descending into a giant pickle jar at precisely 7 p.m. A fireworks display immediately follows, and the celebration wraps up by approximately 7:30 p.m.
“Our early evening event makes it ideal for families and older adults, and everyone else who wants to celebrate New Year’s Eve and still be home in bed well before midnight,” Williams said.
This year’s celebration will also mark the conclusion of Mt. Olive Pickle Company’s Centennial year, commemorating 100 years in business.
The evening will feature live music from Raleigh-based Riggsbee Road, free pickles, food trucks, and children’s inflatables.
Attendees are also encouraged to participate in the annual canned food drive benefiting the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. Those who contribute will receive a chance to win door prizes from the Mt. Olive Pickle Parlor.
From Humble Beginnings to National Recognition
The New Year’s Eve Pickle Drop began in 1999 in the Mt. Olive Pickle Company tank yard, where only a handful of company employees gathered to celebrate.
Over the years, the event has grown into one of eastern North Carolina’s most recognizable holiday traditions.
Today, the Mount Olive Fire Department’s Tower 23 is used to lower the giant pickle into an oversized pickle jar, creating a one-of-a-kind New Year’s Eve countdown.
A specially designed Centennial pickle, created by Durham artist Rahela Laquidara, debuted during the 2025 celebration.
For those unable to attend in person, the 2026 Pickle Drop will be livestreamed at www.mtolivepickles.com.
Help the Pickle Drop Reach the Top 10
Supporters can vote once daily through November 30 in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.
Vote here: http://10best.usatoday.com/qr/66100
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