In New York City’s Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration, the ball descends once before midnight.
The descent is the ceremony’s central countdown ritual. The illuminated ball begins at the top of One Times Square and travels down a pole during the final 60 seconds of the year, reaching the bottom at midnight.
The first Times Square ball drop took place on December 31, 1907, welcoming 1908. The original ball was made of iron and wood and illuminated with 100 light bulbs. The modern version is far larger and uses many LED lights and crystal panels.
A common mix-up is assuming the ball drops several times during the evening because television coverage includes repeated countdowns and celebrations from other time zones. The official Times Square ball drop itself occurs once, at local midnight in New York.