Happy NOON Year at the Oakland Library

LEESBURG — Young revelers and their parents got a chance to say goodbye to 2016 and ring in the new year in a fun and festive way Saturday at the annual NOON Year’s Eve celebration, held each New Year’s Eve at the Oakland Library in Lee County.

Now in its fourth year, the NOON Year’s Eve event, which is sponsored by the Lee County Library, is a fun way for younger residents to enjoy a holiday that isn’t traditionally geared toward children, according to event coordinator and Children’s Librarian Erin Honeycutt.

“It’s just a way to give families something to do together for New Year’s, which has typically been kind of not a child-friendly holiday,” said Honeycutt. “And really, that’s what all of our programming is designed to do, to give families something fun to do together and a reason to come to the library and see what all we have to offer.”

Dozens of families crowed into the library and the adjacent Bindery a half-hour prior to noon, giving kids a chance to enjoy snacks, do some holiday dancing and make various crafts, including designing special 2017 holiday glasses to wear during the festivities.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said Blair Johnston, who brought his two daughters to the event. “I couldn’t make it last year, but the girls came. They’ve been every year. It’s become a tradition.”

Indeed, Honeycutt said she sees a lot of familiar faces each year, which tells her that the event is definitely something that families look forward to. That, she says, gives her a lot of personal satisfaction.

“One family was telling me they’ve come every year that we’ve done it and that it’s a tradition for them, and that’s just really special to me that we can be involved in their tradition and the way they have fun together and spend time together as a family,” she said. “I think people were really looking for something fun to do.”

Honeycutt said she stumbled across the idea for the kid-focused New Year’s event on one of the many library blogs she follows and borrowed the idea. She added what has become the event’s main attraction: the yearly countdown to noon and the release of dozens of balloons from a net tied to the ceiling.

“A lot of libraries do a New Year’s event, but not a lot do the balloon drop, so that’s kind of special to us,” Honeycutt said. “It makes it really special.”

According to Joan Burns, who brought her grandchildren, Brantley and Brody Barcus, to NOON Year’s Eve, the balloon drop is one of the highlights of the event that has become a yearly tradition for her family.

“Oh, yes, we come every year,” said Burns. “It’s an annual event. The kids really enjoy it. They have so much fun.”

Based on the excitement, smiling faces and cheers echoing through the library, Honeycutt said she hopes to keep the NOON Year’s Eve tradition going for years to come.

“It seems to be going great, year after year,” she said. “It’s a good tradition.”