STEENS — Randy Robles, a US military retiree from Caledonia, sat on his Harley Davidson on the final evening of 2022 prepared to watch the firework show at the Steens Community Center.

He said his resolution for the new year is to defy age.

“I plan to defy age in 2023,” Robless said. “I want to stay in the gym, … and enjoy my retirement from military and law enforcement.”

New year traditions vary across cultures and even households, but one of the most common traditions is setting goals, or resolutions, for the upcoming year.

While resolutions are the traditional form of setting goals, some, like Rhonda Caruthers of Steens, prefer setting challenges for themselves.

“I don’t like to make resolutions because I usually break resolutions,” Caruthers said. “But I have been reading my Bible more, and I just want to be more consistent with that.”

Another long-standing New Year’s Eve tradition is setting off fireworks.

James Hayes with the Lowndes County Volunteer Fire Department said the show in Steens began back in either 2015 or 2016, and the crowd on Saturday evening is the biggest he has ever seen.

The show in Steens started at 6 p.m., and lasted for about 30 minutes with more than 100 onlookers on their tailgates and lawn chairs surrounding the field at the Steens Community Center on Steens Vernon Road.

Michael and Shayla Hood and their two sons Ky and MJ traveled from Brooksville to watch the show. Shayla said her dad has helped put on the show each year, and her family makes the trip to see the fireworks.

Shayla said she’s looking forward to watching her family grow in 2023.

“I want to keep the faith, and I’m taking it one day at a time,” Shayla said. “I’m blessed to see another year. I’m just excited to watch my family grow.”