The New Year's Eve ball descends at One Times Square once during the annual countdown.
The ball begins its descent at 11:59 p.m. on December 31 and reaches the bottom at midnight, marking the start of the new year. The one-minute drop is the centerpiece of the Times Square ceremony, followed by confetti, cheering, and the singing of “Auld Lang Syne.”
The tradition began in 1907, when the first ball was lowered to welcome 1908. Although the design, size, lighting technology, and materials have changed substantially, the basic movement has remained a single controlled descent rather than repeated drops.
Television coverage often shows rehearsals, test illuminations, or other countdown events, which can make the ceremony seem more complicated than it is. The official midnight ritual itself is one descent. The ball remains visible at the top of One Times Square before the final minute begins.