What is the name of the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square that begins with a six-hour musical program?

New Year's Eve in Times Square is the name of the celebration in Times Square that begins with a six-hour musical program.

New York City's Times Square New Year's Eve celebration is an extended public event rather than only the final ball descent. The program traditionally includes live musical performances, celebrity appearances, confetti, and the midnight countdown. The central moment is the lowering of the illuminated ball from One Times Square.

The event's modern televised format grew from earlier Times Square gatherings organized around New Year's celebrations. Public attendance is tightly managed because the crowd can become extremely large, and official guidance commonly covers entry points, security screening, weather, and prohibited items.

Descriptions of the program's exact schedule and performers can change annually. The stable fact is that the Times Square celebration contains a long entertainment program leading to midnight, rather than a standalone ceremony lasting only a few minutes.