Temecula To Celebrate New Year's Eve With 13th Annual Grape Drop

TEMECULA, CA — Temecula's beloved annual Grape Drop will yet again mark the New Year with an East Coast countdown and also bring a few noticeable changes to the 13-year tradition.

The Grape Drop attracts hundreds of people to Old Town every New Year's Eve. It's a Temecula spin on the midnight Ball Drop in New York City Times Square: Instead of the ball, however, giant grapes descend from the Temecula City Hall bell tower.

The traditional celebration will feature the 9 p.m. countdown, its first-ever drone show, and performances by Bad Chemistry and Groove Squad. The drone show begins around 8:50 p.m. and can be seen from the Civic Center Quad.

The 10-minute display will include images representing Temecula’s landscape and community, finishing with a numerical countdown that culminates with the Grape Drop, according to city documents.

A Free Fun Zone for children will be open from 6 to 10 p.m. and will include an inflatable obstacle course, a giant slide, a glitter artist and a caricaturist.

There will also be a special New Year's ice skating session from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on a first-come, first serve basis — no reservations.

This year, Temecula is refreshing its annual New Year’s Eve Grape Drop with a very notable change in the holiday programming.

The event has been held since 2011, but after 13 years of similar Grape Drop programming, the City Council on Tuesday night unanimously OK'd updates to the event.

The changes include having live music and kids’ activities from 6-10 p.m., along with what the city calls "a very special" 9 p.m.-only countdown.

The changes most notably nix the midnight Grape Drop.

The refresh is an effort "to retain the family-friendly nature of the event," according to the city.

READ MORE: Temecula's Popular New Year's Eve Grape Drop Is Changing: What To Know