Thousands of people are expected to ring in the new year in downtown Grand Rapids.
It's the first time in years since there has been an event held in downtown with a ball drop.
"I came down here to watch the ball drop for the first time since I was kid," said Michael Fehrlen.
"We've been wanting to see the ball drop for a few years now," said Desiree Solomon. "We finally got the option or the opportunity, so here we are."
Before the final countdown to midnight, about 300 pounds of ground beef along with other types of food served by the caterer within the VIP section, Distinctive Catering.
"Cooking got started at around 6 a.m. It's been planning for the last 4 or 5 weeks... There is a lot that goes into making this much," Andrew Keaton, line cook with Distinctive Catering.
The festivities include the ball drop, fireworks, live music and food trucks.
