Families got an early start ringing in the New Year during Countdown Lancaster 2009 on Wednesday evening.

Kid Time, which began at 5:15 p.m. with events such as a magic show, an interactive variety music show and a puppet and ventriloquist act, was a hit with families from as far away as Florida.

Brenda Mendoza, a Naples, Fla., resident who was visiting family in Lancaster, said even though the temperature was below freezing, the family with five small children headed out to the 16th annual Countdown Lancaster.

"It was great," Mendoza said. She said many New Year's Eve events elsewhere are chances "for adults to drink and party. It's nice to be able to come out with your family to have fun and be entertained."

Their first stop was Pottery Works.

"The pottery was awesome. It was a blast. They were very helpful and good with children," she said.

They then went to see Puppet Mike and Tom Rule at First Presbyterian Church. The family had to walk just a couple blocks down the street to get to their next venue for colonial dancing and crafts.

While the children were busy making New Year's Eve crowns, their Lancaster family members, Dennis Schleicher and his mother, Gloria, were learning a variation on the Virginia reel from members of the Historic Lancaster Walking Tour.

Tom Englert, president of the Historic Lancaster Walking Tour, said he was surprised to see how many families came to their event this year.

"I was afraid the cold would keep them away, especially families with kids. But we had a lot here before 7, so we started early," Englert said.

Lancaster resident Sherry Mount also began the evening by bringing her children, 3-year-old Amber Mount and 11-year-old Marcus Rutter, to the Pottery Works to paint resolution mugs.

Marcus said painting the mugs was fun.

"You get to color whatever you want," he said.

Sharon Raup of Neffsville said the night was "a lot of fun."

"I'm out with friends and my daughters. We've done this several years now and love it. There's lots of things kids can enjoy. We start with dinner at the Neptune Diner and then enjoy the sights and sounds (at Countdown Lancaster) and meet lots of neat people."

Mary Smith and Diego Mendoza didn't think there would be enough activities to hold the attention of their 4- and 6-year-old daughters, Lexy and Syharrah Landis. But they said they were pleasantly surprised.

They painted a cup and bowl, as well as the window at the Hotel Brunswick, and saw a magic show at the library. They stopped at Lancaster Science Factory, which was the hit of the night for the girls, and they stayed for more than an hour.

"The kids love it," Smith said. "They're having a blast."

Janet Stone, director of operations for Lancaster Science Factory, said the interactive science exhibit Wednesday broke its previous attendance record of 305. With more than an hour till closing time, 324 people had walked through its doors.

"There were a lot of first-time visitors, and adults even came without children," she said. "It helped that we're an inside venue with this weather."

•••

By the time midnight rolled around, however, families with young children were scarce at Binns Park.

It was time for hardy teens and adults to start partying in the single-digit wind chill.

Lancaster Mounted Patrol Officer Wayne McVey, who was helping with security on his horse, Zeke, as he has for the past seven years, said the night was "going pretty well, but the weather seems to be keeping people away."

McVey said the cold was more bother for him than for his horse.

"He'd be standing in the pasture if not at work, so it doesn't matter to him," McVey said.

Mayor Rick Gray was amazed at the number of people who actually did ring in the New Year in downtown Lancaster.

"It takes all kinds to make a world; these are definitely the 'hard core,' " Gray said. He even found a silver lining in the wind chill. "It definitely beats freezing rain," he said.

Because fewer people joined the outdoor party, there was plenty of room to dance to the music of Chuck Cahoe and the Fun Junkies while waiting for the red rose to rise at midnight. Newly crowned Countdown Lancaster Teen Idol Caitlin Howell, a Penn Manor graduate, also sang for the crowd.

"The music's good, and the comedy shows have been funny," said Joe Beasley, who moved to Lancaster in August from West Virginia. "It's been a little bit cold, but all right."

It wasn't long after the ground-level fireworks were completed that the New Year's Eve revelers began heading for home to get warm again.

E-mail: lvaningen@lnpnews.com