Hundreds of revelers, many with their tots in tow, turned out Wednesday for daytime balloon drops on New Year’s Eve at Chabot Space and Science Center and Hiller Aviation Museum.
At the science center in the Oakland hills, children had the opportunity to make New Year’s Eve party hats while waiting for the balloons to fall during the 25th annual event. Strokes of midnight around the world were celebrated at 11:00 a.m., Noon, 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
The Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos billed its event as the “Noon Year’s Eve Celebration” and in addition to the balloon drop, featured musical acts, dancing, a puppet show and a magic show by Germar The Magician. Both events were sold out on the rainy last day of 2025.
Balloons drop from the ceiling during the Hiller Aviation Museum’s Noon Year’s Eve Celebration at the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) Kimberly A., of San Carlos, kisses her daughter Piper A., 2, after balloons dropped from the ceiling during the Hiller Aviation Museum’s Noon Year’s Eve Celebration at the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) Folklórico dancers perform during the Hiller Aviation Museum’s Noon Year’s Eve Celebration at the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) Children play with Balloons that were dropped from the ceiling during the Hiller Aviation Museum’s Noon Year’s Eve Celebration at the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) Balloons drop from the ceiling during the Hiller Aviation Museum’s Noon Year’s Eve Celebration at the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) A boy plays with a toy airplane during the Hiller Aviation Museum’s Noon Year’s Eve Celebration at the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) Balloons drop from the ceiling during the Hiller Aviation Museum’s Noon Year’s Eve Celebration at the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) Eloise Bland, 5, of Berkeley, left, and other children play during the 25th Anniversary New Year’s eve balloon drop at Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) Andrea Lee, left, plays with her daughter Evangeline, 1, center, and son Jonas, 3, during the 25th Anniversary New Year’s eve balloon drop at Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) Mayumi Marubayashi, 4, during the 25th Anniversary New Year’s eve balloon drop at Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) Andrea Lee plays with her daughter Evangeline, 1, and son Jonas, 3, of Moraga, during the 25th Anniversary New Year’s eve balloon drop at Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) Eloise Bland, 5, of Berkeley, center, and other children play during the 25th Anniversary New Year’s eve balloon drop at Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) Donovan Johnson, 7, of Brentwood, right, plays during the 25th Anniversary New Year’s eve balloon drop at Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
