Mother Nature did not dare rain on Cornwall-on-Hudson’s annual New Year’s Eve ball drop(s)!

She did, in fact, rain between the two annual events on New Year’s Eve in the village square, but that did not stop the community, and visitors, from streaming to the front of Storm King Lounge to not only watch the shimmery ball drop, but also to enjoy the tunes being played by DJ Incredible (Jean Mathurin), dancing, snacks and the incredibly festive atmosphere.

The Junior New Year’s Eve event was from 6-8 p.m., with the ball dropping at 7:45 p.m. There was line dancing, smores and hot chocolates served by plenty of volunteers, glow sticks and other fun light up toys in most hands packed into that area of the village. And as is always true when children are involved, there were a few pickup games of football on the side streets surrounding the event.

The Cornwall Youth Committee, whose members coordinated this part of the event in partnership with the COH Special Events Committee, was thrilled with the turnout.

“The Junior Ball drop gave out over 1000 light up wands and poppers, more than 30 gallons of hot chocolate, made at least 300 s’mores, and estimate more than 650 attendees, which is even more than last year,” Chairperson Tiffany Gagliano said.

It was her husband, Mayor James Gagliano, who eventually led the loud countdown to the ball dropping. It might have been the most enthusiastic 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 you’ve ever heard!

And while the weather was absolutely “amazing” (COH Special Event’s Committee’s Elizabeth Bruschi’s word) for the youth event, it was a little different in the hours leading up to the adult event, which ran from 11 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

“The adult ball drop was quite dramatic, starting off with a thunderstorm and ending with clear skies and mild weather just about five minutes before the ball dropped,” she said. “A lot of people ended up making it out just in time to ring in the new year with us.”

Bruschi added that the main event hasn’t been cancelled since it was founded in 2001!

Gagliano and Bruschi were thrilled with not only the turnout at both events, but the help they received.

“The Cornwall Youth Committee, in partnership with COH Special Events wish to thank our donors, COH DPW, SKE #2, COH PD, Cornwall EMS, Mayor Gagliano and the Village Board, and our local business that support our efforts,” Gagliano said. “We couldn’t do it without our volunteers, Eileen Hartman, Jenna Park, Emma and Kitty Walsh, Shea Devlin, and the Creagan and Paliotta kids.”