Guilford will have its own New Year’s Eve ‘ball drop’

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    GUILFORD — Piscataquis County revelers don’t have to drive to Bangor to see a New Year’s Eve ball drop this year. Just stop by the Red Maple Inn in Guilford around midnight on Dec. 31.
    Paul “P.Z.” Zimmerman, the inn’s operator, is building a hoist to gently lower a large, lighted beach ball from the inn’s roof. “We don’t want it to slam to the ground and bounce or break,” he said. “We want people to enjoy it.”

    Zimmerman also plans to set off some fireworks that evening at the lot next to the inn. “We’re checking the law to see how late we can do it,” he said, “but I think people will be really pleased. To my knowledge, no other town in the area has done a ball drop. I want to put Guilford on the map this year.”
    According to the State Fire Marshall’s office, fireworks may be ignited between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 10 p.m. in communities that don’t have local restrictions, but the time is extended to 12:30 p.m. on July 4th, New Year’s Eve and the weekends immediately before and after the holidays.
    Bangor has had a city-wide New Year’s Eve celebration since 2006, and the ball drop takes place in Market Square at midnight. They also use a lighted beach ball.
    The Roy Hudson Band will also be entertaining at the Red Maple on New Year’s Eve.
    Zimmerman and his fiancé and business partner, Martha Ward, opened the Red Maple Inn in the former Braeburn Hotel annex earlier this year, and have actively participated in several community ventures like the Redneck Riverfest and Guilford Fall Festival.
    More updates on the New Year’s Eve observance are on the inn’s Facebook page.