Pine cone dropped: Laurel’s Downtown Countdown discontinued

LAUREL, Miss. (WDAM) - Laurel Main Street announced Tuesday it’s discontinuing its signature New Year’s event, the Downtown Countdown.

In a Facebook post, the organization said the event, while fantastic, didn’t rise to their standards of supporting merchants and the overall health of downtown Laurel due to the timing inherent in a New Year’s Eve event.

In years past, the event was hosted on New Year’s Eve on the corner of North Magnolia Street and Central Avenue.

The hallmark of the event was the lighting of a 7-foot rhinestone pine cone suspended from the historic 1st National Bank. Live music, food trucks and fireworks were also featured.

The event was free to the public with a special celebration for kids, which usually started around 5 p.m.

The Laurel Main Street thanked everyone who attended, volunteered or had made donations in the past. They were also grateful for the support of Cadence Bank, Headrick Signs & Graphics, who designed and fabricated the Loblolly pine cone, and The City of Laurel and their vision for this project at its outset.

The organization also said it’s looking forward to several new and exciting upcoming projects.

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