About 3,000 pounds of confetti are traditionally released in Times Square at New Year's Eve.
The confetti shower is one of the most recognizable parts of the Times Square celebration, accompanying the ball drop at midnight. Organizers distribute paper pieces across the crowded area, creating the visual “snowfall” seen in television coverage. The commonly cited figure is about 3,000 pounds, so it describes an approximate event quantity rather than a precisely identical load every year.
The pieces often carry messages submitted by people around the world through the event's “Wishing Wall” tradition. This adds a personal element to what might otherwise be only a spectacular street effect. Confetti is not the same as ticker tape, which historically consisted of narrow paper strips produced by ticker machines and later became associated with public celebrations. Times Square's New Year's material is designed for a single large midnight release and must be cleaned up afterward by city workers.