Deadwood and Rapid City prepare for New Year’s Eve festivities

RAPID CITY, S.D. –With Christmas now over, all eyes are turning to Thursday night and the excitement of ringing in 2021.

In Deadwood, the Silverado Franklin is getting ready for its annual midnight ball drop.

Each year the hotel and casino plan special events to mark the start of the new year, culminating with a Times Square-style ball drop to ring in the new year.

This year they’re celebrating like they always do, but with extra precautions due to the pandemic.

“We’ve got some stations, some hand-cleaning stations, and dividers up.” said John Rystrom, manager of the Franklin Hotel, “We’re going to do this the right way and have a great time, and hopefully bring in a new 2021 and some new adventures.”

Rystrom says some things won’t change, like folks on the Franklin Hotel balcony tossing beads to the people down in the street.

And in Rapid City, the ball at the Hotel Alex Johnson is ready to ring in the new year.

It’s all part of what’s being billed as a building-wide evening of events on New Year’s Eve, and it all leads up to the big ball drop on Sixth Street at midnight.

Tickets are available at the Alex Johnson and online.