A new idea for New Years

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Published July 25, 2005

A new idea for New Years

O.C. Fair & Expo is considering hosting a holiday party to rival New York City's annual bash.

By Andrew Edwards, Daily Pilot

New Yorkers have celebrated the beginning of the new year by dropping the Times Square New Year's Eve Ball since 1907 became 1908. This year, plans are in the works for an orange-flavored attempt to replicate the Big Apple's tradition in Costa Mesa.

"It's apple versus orange, literally, at this point," event promoter Rich Goodwin said. "West Coast versus East Coast. But obviously, we have a long way to go before we make that claim. They do a good job in New York."

If Goodwin's plans go through, the inaugural Orange County New Year's Eve will ring in 2006 at the Orange County Fair & Exposition Center. Although no contract has been signed with the fairgrounds to host the party, the proposed party is already being promoted at the fair and on the Internet.

Putting on a large-scale New Year's Eve event that would be capped by dropping a large orange, like New York's famous lighted ball, has been an idea on Goodwin's mind for about eight years, he said.

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* ANDREW EDWARDS covers business and the environment. He can be reached at [phone] or by e-mail at [e-mail].

http://www.dailypilot.com/front/story/19573p-27588c.html