New York City's New Year's Eve celebration hosts its famous midnight ball drop in Times Square.
The tradition began on December 31, 1907, when the first illuminated ball was lowered from the flagpole atop One Times Square. Newspaper publisher Adolph Ochs introduced the event to attract attention to the New York Times headquarters and replace an earlier fireworks celebration.
The ball has changed substantially over time. The original was made of iron and wood and measured about 5 feet (1.5 meters) across. Modern versions use thousands of Waterford crystal panels and LED lighting. The ball descends from 11:59 p.m. until it reaches the bottom at midnight.
A common mix-up is to call the event the “New York ball drop” without naming its location. Times Square is the specific public setting, while One Times Square is the building from which the ball descends.