Other New Year's Eve revelers may be rolling out the barrel Thursday night, but Reamstown will be dropping one.

A midnight barrel drop at the Union Barrel Works will mark the start of the northeast Lancaster County town's 250th anniversary year.

The first-time New Year's Eve celebration for the town begins at 7 p.m. with a community church service at St. Paul's Evangelical Congregational Church, 46 E. Church St.

The Reamstown Fire Hall, 12 W. Church St., will host bingo and other games from 8 to 11:30 p.m. There will be prizes, such as gift certificates to local eateries, for children and adults.

At 9 p.m., there will be an anniversary cake-cutting ceremony with refreshments available.

Another cake-cutting will be held at the same time at the Reamstown Community Center, 24 E. Church St. Visitors there will be able to view exhibits of Reamstown history from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. and buy anniversary commemorative items.

When the clock approaches midnight, people will gather at the Union Barrel Works, 6 N. Reamstown Road. At the stroke of midnight, a barrel will be dropped and cannon fire and church bells will usher in the New Year.

Other towns also raise or drop symbols of their town. Reamstown's only connection with barrels is through the restaurant and brewery that opened in a renovated garment factory in 2007.

"That's new history, I guess," said Karen Buynak, a member of the town's anniversary organizing committee.

All the events are free and family-oriented. More information is available at www.Reamstown250.org.

The New Year's Eve celebration is the start of a year of anniversary events in Reamstown. Six events are planned, ending with a repeat of the New Year's Eve celebration, Buynak said.

In addition to Reamstown's events, other items will be raised or lowered in Lancaster County's towns to mark the new year.

• In downtown Lancaster, the Red Rose will be raised at midnight in Binns Park, followed by fireworks to conclude the city's Countdown Lancaster events.

Countdown Lancaster includes entertainment or activities at 20 downtown venues. Among those features are a Teen Idol-style contest, juggling, sword-swallowing, junkyard drumming, ice skating, dancing, stunt comedy and barbershop, bluegrass and popular music.

Admission buttons cost $12 for adults and $5 for children ages 4 to 12. For more information, visit lancasterrec.org.

• Akron will usher in 2010 with its annual "Shoe-In New Year's Eve," which culminates with its midnight "Shoe Drop" near the town clock along Main Street.

There will be family activities in the town, beginning at 9 p.m. Participants are encouraged to bring a new pair of athletic shoes to donate to those less fortunate. There will be shoe donation boxes around town. More information is available at www.nlfephrata.org.

• Elizabethtown, home of M&M-candy maker Masterfoods, will lower a giant M&M at 7 p.m., which is midnight in its sister city of Letterkenny, Ireland.

There will be music, food, trains, Celtic dancing and other activities around the town from 5 to 8 p.m. Admission buttons are available at the Chamber of Commerce office, 29 S. Market St., at a cost of $7.50 each. For more information, call 361-7188.

• Manheim Borough will raise a lighted orb at midnight as the culmination of its "Dancin' in the Streets" celebration.

The event, beginning at 9 p.m. will feature trolley rides through historic Manheim and music by Gregg Steiff of Dance N Tune Entertainment.

Admission is free. For more information, visit manheimdowntown.org.

In addition to the municipal celebrations, other events are planned across the county. Some of those are:

• A "New Year's Eve in Jakarta" party at the Milanof-Schock Library, 1184 Anderson Ferry Road, Mount Joy.

The party for families begins at 11 a.m. with a countdown to noon, which is midnight in Jakarta, Indonesia. The party will include rice and fruit dishes, ginger tea and craft projects. The event is free and open to the public. Call the library at 653-1510 to register.

• A Broadway program presented by the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra at the American Music Theatre, 2425 Lincoln Highway East. Tickets cost $69. For more information, call 397-7700 or visit amtshows.com.

• An eclectic night of jazz, opera and chorale music, titled "Pastiche," presented by the Pennsylvania Academy of Music, 42 N. Prince St., begins at 9 p.m. Tickets, at $35, include a party after the show and a champagne toast at midnight. For more information, call 399-9733 or visit pamusacad.org.

• A "watchnight" service at Lititz Moravian Church, 8 Church Square, along the 200 block of East Main Street. The informal service of hymn singing and scripture readings begins at 7:30 p.m. The service includes the drawing of personal "watchwords" to provide guidance for the coming year.

The service has been held every New Year's Eve since 1756.

• The raffle of a $10,000 custom, electric guitar, made and autographed by Paul Reed Smith. The guitar is the top prize in a raffle which benefits Heads Up Lancaster, a nonprofit group that promotes urban arts through after-school programs and workshops at community centers and churches.

Prizes also include music lessons, art works, restaurant gift certificates, and family activity packages. Tickets cost $10 each or three for $25. More information is at HeadsUpLancaster.org.

bharris@lnpnews.com