News

Happy Noon Year! Children Celebrate With Bagpipes, Balloons, And A Ball Drop

SDPB Radio | By Victoria Wicks

Published January 1, 2017 at 8:08 PM CST

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Morgan, left, and Lilly, right, say the party for kids is awesome. The shy girl in the middle didn't want to say anything but adds great cuteness to the picture.

Victoria Wicks

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Amelia looks forward to balloons dropping on her. In the background, her mother works on a mask and holds Baby Sister.

Victoria Wicks

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Janet Parr is the program librarian responsible for the mayhem. She says getting kids in the door of the library might lead to reading.

Victoria Wicks

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Chelsea Elmer holds her daughter, 17-month-old Lovisa Westling, and cuts out a crown.

Victoria Wicks

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The bagpiper added a layer of excitement to the celebration.

Victoria Wicks

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Seven-year-old Eric makes a mask.

Victoria Wicks

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Children watch the balloons drop.

Chelsea L.W. Elmer

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A child examines the "shaggy disco ball" that dropped from the ceiling.

Chelsea L.W. Elmer

Children and parents react as balloons drop from the ceiling and the bagpipes ramp up with "Auld Lang Syne."

Children at the Rapid City Public Library celebrated the new year a day and a half early. The "half" day comes about because they rang in the NOON year, counting down to 12 noon on Friday instead of 12 midnight on Saturday.

Children gathered on the second floor to make masks and crowns and then moved to the first-floor lobby for bagpipes, balloons, and a ball drop.

As SDPB's Victoria Wicks reports, the reviews were a rave: the first-time event was "awesome."

To see the balloons drop and the ensuing chaos, click on the video below. Watch to the end to see the Baby vs. the Big Blue Balloon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkwKC0zxRYw&feature=youtu.be