How Hampton came to celebrate New Year’s Eve with a crab pot drop

Feeling crabby about not having any New Year’s Eve plans? Don’t sweat — the Downtown Hampton Development Partnership is bringing back a popular tradition: The . From 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Sunday in downtown Hampton, a party will celebrate the launch into 2024. At midnight, a lighted crab pot will drop from the sky on Queens Way to ring in the new year. The annual event has been on hiatus for several years as organizers felt the pinch of bad weather and the pandemic. But people have been asking when the quirky tradition would make a comeback, and the interest led to the crab’s return. “I just think it’s a neat opportunity to simulate what goes on at Times Square and make it even more unique with the crab pot,” said Stephen Mallon, executive director of the Downtown Hampton Development Partnership. “Hampton is known for its seafood industry, particularly crab harvesting.” The crab pot is a 6-foot-long, 3-foot-tall cage-like trap. This year, organizers replaced the small plywood crab used in previous years with a larger, 2-foot-tall, 4-foot-long red crab made out of fabric and wire. They’ve dubbed the new crab “Crabby McCrabface.” Former Downtown Hampton President Carlyle Bland said the first drop in 2014 coincided with when Old Point National Bank opened its six-story corporate headquarters downtown along Queens Way. Bland approached the bank president and said he wanted to drop something off of the building for New Year’s Eve. “He reluctantly agreed,” Bland recalled. “And we were just going to drop a ball, but we started talking about it, and we figured a crab pot is more Hampton-esque for us. So we made a crab pot and put kind of faux crab in there.” He noted that with Hampton surrounded by water, crabs made for a fitting theme. “It’s kind of our history,” Bland said. “Graham and Rollins, they’re still one of the biggest producers or canners of crab meat. And we still have a lot of crab fishermen here, so that’s kind of why we’re doing it that way.” Hampton is not alone in celebrating its history and character on New Year’s Eve. Cities around the country have come up with unique and symbolic items to drop Times Square-style for the midnight countdown. Boise, Idaho, , while Miami celebrates . Closer to Hampton Roads, Chincoteague honors its famous wild ponies with a and a costume parade. Hampton’s past crab pot drops were a success — typically drawing 400-600 people each year. The crowds were enthusiastic even if occasionally, there were a few technical difficulties. Carlyle Bland, left, and Kevin Steele work on attaching lights to the crab pot in the workshop above Brown Chicken Brown Cow in downtown Hampton on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023. To celebrate the arrival of 2024, the lighted crab pot will drop from a crane in the sky at midnight on Queens Way. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot) Carlyle Bland twists wire to secure the crab in the center of the pot in the workshop above Brown Chicken Brown Cow in downtown Hampton on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot) Carlyle Bland works on the crab for the crab pot drop in the workshop above Brown Chicken Brown Cow in downtown Hampton on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot) Kevin Steele assembles the crab for the crab pot drop in the workshop above Brown Chicken Brown Cow in downtown Hampton on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot) The old crab, constructed of painted plywood and cardboard, sits in the workshop above Brown Chicken Brown Cow in downtown Hampton on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot) The first couple of years, the timing of the midnight countdown and the descent of the crab pot weren’t in sync, recalled Kevin Steele, chairman of Downtown Hampton’s marketing committee. “Because if you’re worried if the pot was going to swing back and take out a bank window, you slow down a little bit when you’re coming down,” Steele said. “And the wind is a little bit of a wild factor. But the more we messed up, I think the more the crowd enjoyed it because they all laughed and had a good time.” Steele said “we’ve learned from our mistakes” and that he expects the drop to be more steady on Sunday. This year, the crab pot will be lowered by a crane instead of the bank building. Bland said there were difficulties getting the large crab trap to fit into the elevator in past years. Jim Speegle from Hampton Roads Crane and Rigging Co. will supply the crane. Those worried about animal safety need not be concerned, as the crab that will be lowered on Sunday night will be a fake crab that lights up like a Christmas ornament. “No crabs will be harmed at our event,” Bland said. Mayor Donnie Tuck is expected to announce the New Year’s countdown. Bland expects the crab drop will continue to be improved upon in future years, joking, “We’ll learn from when we screw up this year.” The New Year’s Eve celebration at the intersection of Queens Way and Wine Street also includes performances by DJ Repp from R2Z Entertainment and a 360 photo booth. Downtown bars and restaurants are also staying open late. “It’s really going to be kind of a one-of-a-kind spectacle you’re not going to find anywhere in Hampton Roads,” said Sarah Martin, Downtown Hampton Development Partnership event coordinator.