In Kennett Square, Pa., A New Year's Eve Celebration of Mushroominess
By John McDevitt
KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. (CBS) -- The undisputable mushroom capital of the world, right here in Chester County, Pa., is holding a family-friendly New Year's Eve event that includes a new tradition: its first "Mushroom Drop."
"Somebody asked me why are we doing this," says Kathi Lafferty, who helped coordinate the event, with a laugh. "Well, why not?"
At the stroke of midnight, a giant, lighted mushroom will be lowered 80 feet from a crane in the center of town, at State and Union Streets, near the Kennett Square clock tower.
"It's a stainless steel mushroom," Lafferty tells KYW Newsradio. "I think we were advertising it as 700 pounds with lights and everything, but I think we are a little under that. But it's eight feet wide and 7½ feet tall, and it's lighted with LED lights, and it actually looks like a chandelier in the sky."
The fun starts at 9pm. There will be live music, food trucks, and the shops and restaurants around town will be open till midnight. It's also a charity fundraiser.
"We are asking for donations to the Kennett Food Cupboard, and their trucks will be on site," Lafferty says.
