Here's where to celebrate New Year's Eve on the Eastern Shore

If you're celebrating a great year (or just celebrating the fact its over), New Year's Eve events cater to everyone. Go to a party or watch the Eastern Shore drop some of the strangest alternatives to a New Year's Eve ball around.

Ring in the new year with friends, family and neighbors at any of these end-of-the-year events:

Berlin

Check out a ball drop, food vendors and a beer garden on Downtown Main Street in Berlin. If you or your family won't make it to midnight, there's a kid's ball drop at 6 p.m. The outdoor bar and entertainment will start at 10 p.m. and go until 1 a.m.

Bethany Beach

Starting at 10:30 p.m., attend a free event at the Bethany Beach Ocean Suites Residence Inn. Attendees get free party favors, refreshments and more. Most importantly, however, going to the party also gets you the chance to see the famous beach ball drop at midnight.

Cambridge

Head to Downtown Cambridge on New Year's Eve to see the town drop a replica deadrise (a small recreation of the traditional waterman's workboat) at midnight. The drop happens at the 500 block of Poplar Street in Cambridge.

Cape Charles

A trip to Cape Charles has a huge reward: You get to watch the town drop a crab pot, traditionally used to catch crabs. The drop will be at 10 p.m. on Dec. 31 so kids can watch as well.

Chincoteague

Celebrate the new year in Chincoteague with the Pony Island Horseshoe Drop. The island perhaps most well known for its ponies will drop a horseshoe at midnight to ring in the new year.

Beforehand, though, the costume promenate will take place at the Downtown Waterfront Park from 10:45 until midnight. This year's theme is superheroes and villains, and people are welcome to come in costume or just as a spectator. Prizes are available in various categories.

Dewey Beach

You don't have to travel all the way to New York City to watch a ball drop on New Year's Eve. Dewey Beach will have their annual drop on Dec. 31 on New Orleans Street.

Easton

Events for Easton's First Night Talbot begin at 6 p.m. The event is alcohol- and drug-free in order to be family friendly. The party will take place across five indoor venues and is set to feature choral, gospel and instrumental music, dance, live theater, face painting, juggling, crafts and more. 

The famous "Maryland Crab Drop" will happen twice over the course of the evening. At 9 p.m., the "Midnight in the Mid-Atlantic" drop will star a bagpiper leading a parade of sea creatures and fish hats. The midnight countdown will feature fire juggling. 

Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students (through college) and free for children under 5. Those who attend will receive a collectible crab button, which can be purchased in advance at www.discovereaston.com/fnt.

Lewes

Watch an anchor drop at the Lightship Overfalls in Lewes. The BYOB event takes place on the canal and will feature music, a bonfire and hot chocolate. It begins at 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 31.

Ocean City

Visit Ocean City's Northside Park for a New Year's Eve fireworks show. The display will begin promptly at midnight but arrive early to check out live DJs, hot chocolate and a chance to ride through the 26th annual Winterfest of Lights.

Princess Anne

In what is one of the most unique traditions anywhere, Princess Anne drops a muskrat the way many communities drop a ball.

Called the "Midnight Muskrat Dive," the city lowers the taxidermied muskrat to help attendees celebrate the new year. Food such as hot dogs and pork barbecue sandwiches will be available from Washington Inn and Tavern, and Rebecca's Ice Cream Parlor will be serving hot chocolate, ice cream and soda. 

There will be music, freshly shucked oysters and free Smith Island.The event starts at 9 p.m. and continues through the night all the way until 1 a.m.

Salisbury

Head to the intersection of Main Street and N. Divison Street to watch Salisbury ring in the new year with a ball drop from a Salisbury Fire Department tower truck.

The city has a family-friendly event from 9 p.m. until just after midnight. There will be live entertainment, an outdoor stage with a jumbotron countdown screen and lots of confetti when the ball drops at midnight. Food will be sold from local food trucks, and beer, wine and champagne will be available to purchase from a cash bar.

Reach reporter Hayley Harding via email at hharding@delmarvanow.com or on Twitter @Hayley__Harding.