The Times Square New Year's Eve ball drop stopped in 1942, beginning a two-year World War II suspension.
The ball was not lowered on New Year's Eve in 1942 or 1943. Instead, crowds observed midnight quietly, while the event's usual public celebration was suspended. The interruption reflected wartime blackout rules intended to prevent coastal cities from becoming visible targets and to conserve resources.
New Yorkers were asked to avoid unnecessary lighting and loud public displays during the wartime period. The tradition returned for the New Year's Eve transition from 1944 to 1945, after which the ball drop continued as an annual public ritual.
This pause is one of the most notable breaks in the event's history. The first ball drop had begun in 1907, so the wartime cancellation occurred after more than three decades of annual celebrations. The ball itself has since been redesigned several times as technology and materials changed.