The Big Orange is going through some final preparations to help South Florida ring in the New Year, while its creator is set to be honored.
Teams got to work in preparing the big orange, a 35-foot, 2,000-pound LED sculpture to make its climb to the top of the InterContinental hotel when the clock strikes midnight in New Year’s Day in downtown Miami.
The annual tradition has been going strong for nearly 40 years, becoming a staple in South Florida’s celebration tradition.
“We’ve had an amazing run. It works every year, once in awhile we had a little snafu, where we had to bring it down, maybe a transformer went out, put a transformer and take it back up, but it’s worked for 39 years,” said Steve Carpenter, the owner of Mr. Neon.
Carpenter is the mastermind behind the one-of-a-kind New Year’s Eve icon.
“It’s unbelievable, when I first built it and designed it to fit this building, I never dreamed it would be going this long, it’s unbelievable,” said Carpenter.
The neon orange returns with a refreshed look and upgraded lighting effects.
Crews got to work in performing test runs for the Big Orange several days before the big countdown begins.
“We like to put it on the building four or five days early just in case we have any problems. So instead of putting it up the day before, that way, it gives us four or five days if we have a bad piece of neon,” said Carpenter.
The Big Orange will soon brighten the Miami skyline as many residents count down the final seconds of 2025.
The annual celebration has steadily grown as people spend the night cheering and celebrating.
“Now we get 100,000 plus people and it’s amazing,” said Carpenter.
Organizers have promised a dazzling show this year, including entertainment, food trucks and family-friendly activities throughout the night.
“They say, ‘When it’s 12:00, it’s New Year’s.’ I go, ‘No, it’s not New Year’s until I say it’s New Year’s,’” said Carpenter.
During the New Year’s celebration, Miami’s new mayor, Eileen Higgins, will reward Carpenter with a key to the city for the decades of work he has put into the Big Orange.
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