What famous New York City event lowers a ball in Times Square at midnight on New Year's Eve?

The Times Square Ball Drop is the famous New York City event that lowers a ball at midnight on New Year's Eve.

The tradition began on December 31, 1907, when the first illuminated time ball descended from the flagpole atop One Times Square. Newspaper publisher Adolph Ochs introduced the spectacle to attract attention to the building and replace a fireworks display that city officials had prohibited.

The modern ball is a geodesic sphere covered with Waterford crystal panels and illuminated by LEDs. It descends during the final minute of the year, reaching the bottom at midnight in the Eastern Time Zone. The event is watched in Times Square and broadcast internationally.

The ball does not rise or fall exactly at the stroke of midnight by itself; organizers synchronize the countdown with official time signals. The celebration is also commonly called the New Year's Eve Ball Drop, but Times Square Ball Drop is the specific event name.