Downtown Mobile eased into New Year’s Eve with cool air, clear skies, and the kind of slow build that only happens when a crowd knows something fun is coming.
By early evening, small pockets of people gathered near Bienville Square.
As the night stretched on, those pockets merged into a steady stream, then a full crowd, all moving toward midnight with the same expectation.
By the time the final hour arrived, Royal Street had become a viewing gallery.
Music drifted across downtown. Conversations overlapped. The countdown felt less like a moment and more like a shared experience unfolding block by block.
A First Cut for a New Mayor and a New MoonPie
One of the earliest highlights came with a familiar centerpiece. The oversized MoonPie, delivered annually from Chattanooga, returned once again, this time in a Birthday Cake flavor making its first appearance at the event.
Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis joined former councilman Fred Richardson to make the ceremonial first cut.
For Cheriogotis, it marked his first MoonPie Drop as mayor. For Richardson, it was another chapter in a tradition he helped establish years ago.
The moment mixed symbolism and humor, setting a tone that carried through the rest of the night: lighthearted, civic, and distinctly Mobile.
A Parade Powered by Umbrellas and Personality
Creativity soon took center stage in a way that felt spontaneous but perfectly on-brand.
Abby McGinnis arrived with a Mardi Gras umbrella designed to match the sprinkle-covered Birthday Cake MoonPie.
The umbrella caught attention quickly and earned top honors in an informal decorating contest.
That recognition placed McGinnis at the front of a second-line parade that pulled hundreds of people from the Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel courtyard toward a stage near Bienville Square. Music led the route. Feet followed. The walk itself became part of the celebration.
It was a reminder that downtown Mobile rarely needs much prompting to turn movement into a parade.
Remarks That Set the Mood for the Year Ahead
Once on stage, Cheriogotis took time to acknowledge Richardson’s role in shaping the event and praised Public Works Executive Director Shonnda Smith for the behind-the-scenes coordination required to pull it off.
Addressing the crowd, the mayor spoke about service, gratitude, and momentum. He reflected on the year behind him and looked ahead to what comes next, emphasizing optimism, safety, and shared enjoyment of the city’s public spaces.
Richardson followed with a promise that framed the rest of the evening. The focus, he said, was simple: fun. The lineup, he added, was built to keep energy high from start to finish.
Funk, Fireworks, and a Downtown Countdown
Music carried the night forward. Jukebox Brass Band opened the stage performances, warming up the crowd with an energetic set. Red & The Revelers followed, drawing more people toward Bienville Square as the minutes ticked closer to midnight.
At 11 p.m., Morris Day & The Time took over. Their funk-driven performance pushed the energy higher, setting the stage for the final countdown. As midnight hit, the MoonPie descended, fireworks burst above Bienville Square, and cheers rippled through Royal Street.
Later estimates from the Mobile Police Department placed the crowd around 6,000 people.
The calendar flipped with music still playing, fireworks fading into smoke, and downtown Mobile firmly awake. The new year arrived already surrounded by noise, color, and the kind of celebration that feels woven into the city itself.
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