New York City’s annual New Year’s Eve live countdown is hosted in Times Square alongside the ball drop.
Times Square is the commercial intersection at the meeting of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan. On December 31, crowds gather in the surrounding streets while a stage program, performances, and a public countdown lead to midnight. The illuminated signs and dense urban setting have made the celebration one of the most recognizable New Year broadcasts worldwide.
The ball drop is only one part of the event. Performers, musical guests, confetti, security checkpoints, and television coverage all contribute to the larger Times Square celebration. The event is organized by the Times Square Alliance and Countdown Entertainment, with city agencies managing crowd safety and transportation.
The phrase “Times Square” is sometimes used loosely for the ball itself, but the square is the location, while the illuminated ball is the ceremonial object lowered from One Times Square. Nearby Union Square and Madison Square are separate Manhattan locations and do not host this signature countdown.