By Chris Barber
Contributing Writer

A wicked thunderstorm set its sights on Kennett Square for New Year’s Eve, but it departed before the midnight countdown to the New Year came to fruition.

As the 700-pound, lighted mushroom was brought into the middle of town early on Dec. 31 with the hoopla, lights and sirens, visitors had not yet assembled for what would be the climax of the mushroom drop seven hours later.

But as the announced starting time of the ceremonies grew near at 7 p.m., so did the storm.

Midnight in the Square founder and chairperson Kathi Lafferty, having been warned of the coming weather, said, “We’ll just have to play it by ear.”

And she did so.

The storms arrived and lasted until about 10:30 p.m.

Lafferty said the visitors who had assembled seemed to seek shelter on their own when the rain came, and there was no need to issue a formal delay or cancellation, even though the lightning was “scary.”

She was hoping for relief, however.

She said she sent up orders to her late husband, who died last summer, hoping he could help improve the weather a little.

“Tommy, make the rain stop,” she reported later.

With the cessation of the rain storm, the crowds reappeared, dancing in the street and gathering in the stores to spend money.

By 11:30 p.m. and the coming mushroom drop, the crowd was substantial and enthusiastic.

During the evening, there was plenty of entertainment including Veronika the hoop dancer, music from the band, guitar accompanied singing by Kevin McCarthy and two big raffles.

The first raffle, the dropping of the miniature mushrooms into a large goblet, attracted excitement.

After 1,000 small, plastic mushrooms that had been purchased for $10 each were loaded into the stem of the large, lighted mushroom, it was raised. The stem was then released, and the first mushroom to land in the bottom of a goblet was the winner of $5,000.

That winner was Randy Stinson.

Another raffle followed during which two purchased tickets were drawn. The winners each received large collections of donated items from Kennett Square businesses.

Local political activist and former mayor Leon Spencer served as master of ceremonies for the event. And even from the time the rain was falling, he covered himself with waterproof protection and kept the chatter going throughout the evening.

This was the 12th celebration of the lowering of the 700-pound, lighted mushroom into the center of Kennett Square on New Year’s Eve.

Bob’s Crane, directed by its CEO Rich Nichols, handled the manipulation and transportation of the giant mushroom from its entrance into the borough at 5 p.m. through the raising, lowering and raffle release. As the crowd counted down from 10 at the last minute of 2024, Nichols and his crew directed the mushroom safely into place.

When it was over, Lafferty was happy with how the festivities turned out.

“I thought it was great,” she said.

“We just had to deal with it. There were people from different states here. … I had people tell me there were events elsewhere that were cancelled. When the lightning came, it got a little bit touchy,” Lafferty added.