Where is Raleigh’s giant acorn going?

The iconic acorn is on the move — it’s pretty nuts.

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I polish up real nice.

Acorn crossing. Yesterday morning, Raleigh’s very own 1,250-pound copper and steel acorn was moved from Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts to local artist David Benson’s studio. Why? It’s being polished to prepare for its big moment during First Night Raleigh , Artsplosure’s New Year’s Eve celebration in downtown.

Raleighites have gathered in City Plaza every year on New Year’s Eve (since 1992) to watch the acorn drop to ring in the new year. This year, the acorn will drop twice on Saturday, Dec. 31 — once at 7 p.m. and again at 12 a.m.

Stay tuned for the full lineup of First Night performances and activities. Want free tickets? Sign up to volunteer .

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Anne — originally from Annapolis, Maryland and based in Roanoke, Virginia — joined 6AM City as a City Editor for RALtoday in January 2022. She is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and has contributed to publications including Garden & Gun and Washingtonian. When Anne’s not writing, she’s hiking through the Blue Ridge Mountains, practicing hot yoga, or finding her new favorite foodie spot.