On Tuesday, people from around the area attended the first-ever Sunrise Side New Year’s Eve Celebration, which was capped off with a large lighted ball slowly ascending from the ground to the top of the Alpena Fire Department’s aerial truck at midnight.

Instead of the traditional ball drop, the lit sphere was raised to mark the beginning of 2025, celebrating Alpena’s location on the Sunrise Side of Michigan.

The ball rising high into the air may have been the highlight of the night, but from late afternoon on, visitors downtown flooded local businesses, and long lines formed.

Fire barrels were strategically placed so people could take the chill off if they became cold and the entire parking lot was transformed into a large dance floor as people reacted to the disc jockeys that were providing entertainment.

2- News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Firefighters visit with people at the first-ever Sunrise Side New Year’s Eve Celebration in Alpena.

April Jansen made the trek to Alpena from Oscoda with some friends for a night out and to celebrate the new year. She said she occasionally visits Alpena but hadn’t really been to downtown businesses such as Mangos, Hopside Brewery, or PIF Cider.

She said the group of friends were staying at a hotel in Alpena and would return home on New Year’s Day.

“We’re having a blast, and downtown is really nice with a lot of cool places to have dinner and have a few drinks,” she said. “Everyone seems to get along and I haven’t seen any trouble. I think everyone just wants to have fun and are ready for the new year.”

The Alpena Downtown Development Authority, the City of Alpena, and other partners have been planning the event for months. Many of the businesses stayed open later than normal to accommodate the partygoers, but others chose to close at 10 p.m. and missed out on the rush of customers as midnight neared.

Most of the people took advantage of the downtown’s social district, which allowed them to enjoy their beverages outside of the bars and restaurants.

News Photo by Steve Schulwitz A group of friends pose for a photo while warming up at one of the fire barrels that were set up during the Sunrise Side New Year’s Eve Celebration in Alpena.

Joleen Buchler said her husband James and her enjoyed dinner at the Red Brick Tap and Barrel and then met up with friends and had cocktails from an outdoor bar at Mango’s and another round at Rusty Petunias Marketplace.

“I saw about this on Facebook and we didn’t have any other plans, so we decided to check it out,” she said. “Thanks to everyone who put this together. I think the area needs more events like this.”

Anne Gentry, the executive director of the DDA, said last month that when the event wraps up, it would be reviewed and making the event annual is something she would like to see.

If Tuesday is any indication for what the future of the event is, people may want to book their hotel rooms soon for next year.

“Oh, I’ll be back again next year,” Jansen said. “It is a great girls’ night out and we are really having a great time.”

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Alpena’s New Year’s lighted ball changes colors as it rises to welcome the new year. The Alpena Fire Department ascended the truck at midnight on New Year's.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley The Alpena Fire Department prepares for the “ball rise” on New Year’s Eve in Alpena.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley People play cornhole in a parking lot in Alpena on New Year’s Eve.

News Photo by Steve Schulwitz A parking lot in Alpena was flooded with partygoers waving glow sticks while celebrating the incoming year on New Years Eve in downtown Alpena. The alley adjacent to the parking lot and the small businesses nearby were also full of people.