Blue moon to shine over moonpie

MOBILE, Ala. - Blue moons are rare. A 600-lb moonpie is even more so. The City of Mobile, Alabama will be bringing the two together when the blue moon lunar occurrence happens during the city’s “MoonPie Over Mobile” New Year’s Eve celebration, scheduled to be held December 31 in Cooper Riverside Park.
 

A blue moon is defined as the second full moon in a calendar month. As there is a full moon every 29.5 days, a blue moon is a comparatively rare event.
 

Revelers in Mobile Alabama, the birthplace of Mardi Gras buy more than 4 million moon pies annually. This is part of the reason the southern city tag teamed with Chattanooga Bakery Inc., the maker of the iconic MoonPie brand marshmallow sandwich, to create the largest electronic moon pie as the featured attraction for its New Year’s Eve celebration. This is the second year the electronic symbol of the delicious treat will light up the skyline of downtown Mobile.
 

The celebration will also include music from national recording group Wet Willie and Cupid, who coined the dance craze “The Cupid Shuffle.”

Following the electronic moonpie rising, officials from the Chattanooga Bakery will serve up an edible 50-lb blue moonpie, dubbed among the largest in the country to ball goers attending the city’s first New Year’s Eve ball, featuring the moonpie. The ball will be held in the city’s waterfront Arthur Outlaw Mobile Convention Center.

"This event will not only kick off our Carnival season, but we believe it will become the premiere event for the Central Time Zone, creating a tremendous economic impact for our city," said Mobile Councilman Fred Richardson, who created the MoonPie celebration addition.

"What a great idea!" said Tory Johnston, Chattanooga Bakery's Vice President of Marketing. Mobile, Mardi Gras and MoonPie go hand-in-hand."

Children’s Activities:

• The Exploreum will be open until 10:00 pm and will allow 50% off all of our current admission rates, including the IMAX. We will be showing the IMAX film The Light Before Christmas a couple of times, which we are determining. The New Year’s Eve activities will also include on how fireworks are made and the science of moon pie making.
• The Museum of Mobile will offer free admission from 10:00 p.m. – 12:00 midnight; premiering special activities for children.
• The Carnival Museum of Mobile will be opened from 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., offering children’s activities and fun for the whole family.