MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. (WNCN) — A popular New Year's Eve celebration -- now in its 25th year -- had a few problems Tuesday. The Mount Olive Pickle Drop, scheduled for early in the evening, did not go off without a hitch Tuesday night. The event includes lowering a 3-foot-long illuminated pickle at a certain time on New Year's Eve. Tuesday night, festivities were scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. with the pickle drop at 7 p.m. "sharp." But, it appears the pickle dropped at least 10 seconds ahead of the countdown clock, which is on a digital display near the lowering pickle. So it took a few seconds for the celebratory fireworks to then match up with the actual dropping of the pickle. But they did go off, and everyone got to be with friends and family -- so it's safe to still call it an eventual "success." Mount Olive Pickle Company, based in the town that straddles Duplin and Wayne counties, started the New Year's Eve tradition in 1999.