The Milwaukie Arts Committee is bringing a new public event to downtown Milwaukie this New Year’s Eve, where a 7-foot lighted Bing cherry will be lowered from a crane to “Bing in the New Year” during a family-friendly celebration from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Dec. 31 in the parking lot at Harrison and Main.

Why a giant cherry? Milwaukie is where the Bing cherry was cultivated in 1875! It was named for the Chinese nursery foreman, Ah Bing, who grew the new variety of cherry.
In addition to the “cherry drop,” the free event will have live music by Milwaukie band Roadside Attraction, a beer and mead garden by Wyrd Meadery and Ridgewalker Brewing, food by Hearth & Soul Pizza, and a Chinese lion dance performance by International Lion Dance, immediately following the lowering of the glowing cherry by Smith Crane at 9 p.m. (aka a family-friendly ‘East Coast’ midnight.)