The Chile Drop features a New Year countdown with a 19-foot long chrome chile, a tribute to the New Mexico’s world-renowned red and green chile, decorated with 400 feet of LED lighting. Courtesy photo

STATE News:

LAS CRUCES — In a normal year, thousands of visitors flock to Las Cruces for a unique New Year’s Eve celebration and tradition – the annual Chile Drop.

Like the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball Drop, the Chile Drop features a New Year countdown with a 19-foot long chrome chile, a tribute to the New Mexico’s world-renowned red and green chile, decorated with 400 feet of programmed LED lighting.

This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has moved the annual event to a virtual one. To brighten spirits of locals and would-be visitors alike, the Downtown Las Cruces Partnership is hosting the annual New Year’s Eve Chile Drop without a physical audience.

It will be broadcast starting at 11:55 p.m. MST Thursday, Dec. 31 on www.kvia.com. The bright side of the virtual event is that people from across the globe can ring in the New Year in signature Las Cruces style and discover if the chile will light up red or green this year. 

“The start of 2021 hopefully marks a time when we can welcome back many of the friendly faces that we missed seeing in 2020,” said Paul Dahlgren, Director of Marketing & Communications for Visit Las Cruces. “The Annual Chile Drop is a warm reminder of the delicious tastes and exciting experiences awaiting visitors in the new year.”

“We look forward to welcoming everyone to experience not only our amazing cuisine, but also the monumental outdoor adventures that we are known for,” added Dahlgren. “We’re thrilled to get to share this a uniquely Las Cruces tradition which celebrates our rich culinary and agricultural traditions. We invite you to bring in the New Year in grand Las Cruces fashion and to come visit us to taste the world’s best chile—in 2021.” 

To learn more about Las Cruces, visit https://www.lascrucescvb.org.