"A group of us went to Falmouth Nova Scotia and they gave us this goat, it's a hand made puppet from one of the residents up there," said Nancy Putt-Hower, president of the Falmouth Civic Association. "Somewhere along the line everyone said it would be fun to lower a goat on New Year's Eve because of all the other places that lower things, the pickle and the bologna, so we started doing it."
      This is the 12th year for the Falmouth New Year's Eve celebration and it has grown to include a lot more than just the lowering of the goat.
      "There will be music for your dancing and listening pleasure, bingo for the young and young at heart, noise makers and New Years Eve regalia like hats and noise makers will be available and also good food," said Ken Brandt from the civic association. "It's a take off of the goat race - goats, races, New Year's Eve - they all go together."
      The civic association sponsors weekly bingo chaired by Rose Collins at the Bainbridge Fire Company on Wednesday nights, and Collins has put together an extra bingo night for the lowering of the goat with cash and other prizes. The game starts at 9 p.m.
      Another featured activity will be karaoke.
      "We play bingo and we have karaoke and they're going to shoot off some rockets," Putt-Hower said. "There's no alcohol and the kids can participate in everything, they can play bingo and get up and sing."
      The family friendly atmosphere is one of the features of the celebration.
      "It's just good family fun . . . there's an activity for the whole family," Brandt said. His family's favorite activities are "dropping the goat and fireworks."
      Myra Miller will be putting on a display of rockets followed by a large fireworks display.
      "These rockets and fireworks will display that Falmouth is alive and well for 2004," Miller said.
      Food will be available starting at 9 p.m. with the special "caprine wine". This is a goat elixir that was popular during the early 20th century.
      "Our township and community is unique, we're very close," Putt-Hower said. "That's why our goat races have lasted 25 years, we have some real dedicated people, they love the community."
      The New Year's Eve celebration is just another chance for the tight-knit town to come together.
      "There's a lot of community spirit here, everybody knows everybody else," Putt-Hower said. "It's just another way of getting together to celebrate a holiday with friends."