The Times Square Ball is traditionally dropped in Times Square, New York City, at midnight on New Year's Eve. The event is one of the world's best-known New Year's celebrations and is watched by large crowds in Manhattan and television audiences worldwide.
The first ball-lowering celebration took place on December 31, 1907, organized by newspaper publisher Adolph Ochs for the former New York Times building. The original ball was made of iron and wood and was illuminated with electric lights. The tradition continued after the newspaper's headquarters gave the square its name.
The ball is lowered from One Times Square during the final minute of the year. A common mix-up is that the celebration is sometimes called the “New Year's Eve ball drop,” but the ball itself is a large illuminated sphere lowered down a pole. The design has changed many times, and the modern version is covered with Waterford crystal panels.