BETHEL – Hardy revelers at the ninth annual New Year’s Bethel celebration on New Year’s Eve will ring in First Night using antique bells. That’s after enjoying a variety of live entertainment and traditional marshmallow roasting.

“We don’t have the big ball like New York City, we just have bells at the right time. It makes quite a noise,” co-organizer Stanley Howe said Friday afternoon at the Bethel Historical Society, which conducts the event with lots of help from community volunteers.

“It’s really a community-spirited event,” he added.

Even though the chemical-free festival attracts several hundred people of all ages from all over Maine and New England, only the die-hards manage to ring in the New Year at the town clock on Main Street. This year, organizers hope to increase the numbers.

“It’s quite a sacrifice to stay up that late and go outside when it’s cold. These are the hard-core people that go out,” Howe said.

Both Howe and co-organizer Allen Cressy urged people planning to attend to bring their favorite bells or antique ones to join in the fun.

Performers include Leeds humorist Henry Bascomb, aka Chaitanya York; magician George Saterial of Dracut, Mass.; The Maine Kanteles, a 10-woman western Maine band of Finnish heritage who play traditional Finnish lap-harps of varying size; Spring Creek, a four-member bluegrass group from Mechanic Falls, Gardiner and New Gloucester; Ti’ Acadie, a three-member contra-dance band; and the State Street Traditional Jazz Band.

All but Ti’ Acadie and the jazz band are new this year. From 6 p.m. to midnight, the activities either take place on the Bethel Hill Common, or in nearby buildings within the historical village.

Starting at 6 p.m., participants in the loud, dazzling annual Dragon Parade line up in front of the fire station opposite the Common. The parade is comprised of families and children armed with rattles, drums, lights and other noisemakers. Last year’s dragon stretched more than 40 feet with more than 60 children participating, Howe said.

Marshmallow roasting on the Common, refreshments at the Dr. Moses Mason House, and live entertainment all start at 7 p.m.

Tickets are only required for the live performances.

At 10:30 p.m., a special New Year’s Eve reception will be held in the Exhibit Hall of the Dr. Moses Mason House. The short walk to the town clock starts at 11:45 p.m.

Both Cressy and Howe said they believe Bethel’s event is the only such festival being done by a Maine town or city this year, after Portland canceled its festival earlier this year due to a lack of sponsors.

That hasn’t been a problem for the Bethel festival. As of Friday, more than 60 businesses and individuals had signed up as sponsors, which, Howe said, is really gratifying.

Everything planned will go on, except, possibly, sleigh rides behind The Bethel Inn and Country Club, for which, snow is needed. As of Dec. 22, there was none on the ground, a first for the festival.

“We’re praying for 3 or 4 inches. We don’t want too much, because the horses won’t be able to move,” Howe said.