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Salt Lake City plans to drop the ball on New Year's Eve.
The giant MirrorBall made its debut last year and was the centerpiece of the three-day Eve Winter Fest Celebration sponsored by the Downtown Alliance. EVEgoers were able to climb inside the ball for photos and see it spinning on its UFO-type base; at midnight on Dec. 31, it was lifted into place high above the Calvin L. Rampton Salt Place Convention Center's south plaza.
While the light -and-laser show at midnight lit up nearby buildings and the night sky, it was a bit of a letdown for those who thought the disco ball might drop to Earth as the crowd counted down to midnight, in the same manner the crystal ball drops in New York City's Times Square.
"Last year we were very cautious," Jason Mathis, the Downtown Alliance executive director, said Thursday during the Eve schedule announcement. "And this year we will still be careful. But we think we will be able to move it around more than last year. So it will drop in some way on New Year's Eve."
It won't be easy; the orb weighs 2,433 pounds and has a circumference of more than 60 feet. The massive installation was created by Utah artist Derek Dyer using 1,200 mirrors — each one a 12-inch square.
While cities in other countries have used large-scale light shows with disco balls for celebrations, Salt Lake City's MirrorBall is considered the largest mirrored sphere in the United States.
Mathis said there are other new offerings at EVE, including the GameRoom, filled with oversized games and a Minecraft project through a partnership with Neumont University. "This is not your parents' basement," he promised.
There will be expanded family hours from 3 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 31, giving families a chance to enjoy old favorites including the BounceTown inflatables and the BallRoom, featuring lasers, lights, music and beach balls.
The three-day all-access pass also offers entry into art exhibits, film screenings, comedy shows, live music, ice skating, cultural performances and a chance to see the Utah Jazz play the Portland Trail Blazers on Dec 31. Caleb Chapman and the Crescent Super Band headline on the Big Band Stage.
The Downtown Alliance is expecting between 30,000 and 40,000 attendees, especially if the weather is good.
EVE, now in its seventh year, is designed to re-create the "excitement and playfulness" that downtown experienced during the 2002 Winter Olympics, said Mathis. "We really want to create this sense of camaraderie and community."
EVE Winter Fest
Salt Lake City will ring in 2016 with a three-day celebration of music and culture as well as a countdown to midnight with the giant MirrorBall.
When • Tuesday-Thursday, Dec. 29-31
Where • 10 venues in downtown Salt Lake City, including the Salt Palace, Clark Planetarium, Off Broadway Theatre, Broadway Centre Cinemas, Discovery Gateway, The Leonardo, Gallivan Center, Temple Square, City Creek Center and UMOCA
Cost • On Friday, Dec. 4, the three-day adult pass is available for $10, using the code WINTERFEST at eveslc.com. After that, three-day passes increase to $20 for adults and $15 for children 3 to 9. Single-day tickets also are available.
Details • http://eveslc.com