It's not even Christmas yet, but already angels on high are working on New Year's Eve, 150 feet high to be exact. Tony Fannock, Tamaqua, left, maintenance supervisor of ABC Tamaqua High Rise building, works at the roof edge Thursday to tighten clamps of an oversized 2015 sign with Frank Fabrizio, Brockton, in preparation for Dec. 31.

On New Year's Eve, Tamaqua hosts the region's largest, highest and brightest auld lang syne celebration, a 15-year tradition. The event, the largest of its kind in Schuylkill County, originally took place in 1999 as a one-time gimmick for Tamaqua's Founding Bicentennial celebration. It proved so popular it's been repeated ever since. Organizers say the illuminated numbers stand 8 feet high and 16 feet wide, and are believed to be the largest in the state.