Crews prep for Idaho Potato Drop in downtown Boise

BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — Thousands of people will be in downtown Boise Tuesday night to ring-in 2020. They'll be watching Idaho's Potato Drop in front of the Capitol.

There's excitement in the air as folks around town prepare for the potato drop. This is the seventh annual Idaho Potato Drop, and organizers are pulling out all the stops for this year's event.

There will be ice-sculpting, snow sports, and a wrestling club that will compete for the Potato Belt Championship.

For thousands of Idahoans, the first thing they'll see in the new decade will be the stage. It's part of an event spanning nearly a decade, put on by the Idaho Potato Drop.

"Setting up an elaborate thing like this does take, you know, we do need to close down some things so we do try to do as minimal impact, because we want it to be a positive thing for everybody," said Sandi Nahas, COO of the Idaho Potato Drop.

There will be food, drinks, and entertainment to go along with the main event. Much equipment and manpower are needed to pull everything together.

The potato itself is 20 feet long, 17 feet wide, and weighs about 1,200 pounds. It's made entirely out of fiberglass, and when the time comes, it will be lowered down using a crane.

For fans of snow sports, there will be skiing and snowboarding demonstrations in Capitol Park. One of the athletes said they're participating for a number of reasons.

"Put on a show for the people, exhibit our sport. Try to give it some hype, get some new people on the snow is really our goal here. Just build the stoke and help the community as much as possible," said Mason Kennedy, a snowboarder and skier.

The City of Boise had no hand in the event. Organizers from the Idaho Potato Drop say they hope to get permitting and sponsorship help from the city in future years.

Live music starts Tuesday at 3 p.m., while athletes participate in the Urban-Air 2020 ski and snowboard exhibition.

The potato will be lowered at the stroke of midnight in Cecil D. Andrus Park.

For the full schedule, click HERE.