What is the name of the New Year's Eve event in New York City where crowds gather around the Times Square Ball?

The event where crowds gather around the Times Square Ball is called Times Square New Year's Eve.

The official celebration takes place in the Times Square district of Manhattan, centered near One Times Square. Its best-known moment is the lowering of the illuminated ball during the final minute before midnight on December 31. The event also includes musical performances, confetti, speeches, and large crowds in the surrounding streets.

The tradition began with the first ball drop in 1907, organized after The New York Times moved into its new building. The ball was designed as a visual time signal that could be seen from a distance. The event’s name is sometimes shortened informally to “the Times Square ball drop,” but that phrase describes the central ceremony rather than the full celebration.

The midnight event was altered during World War II in 1942 and 1943, when the ball was not lit and crowds observed a moment of darkness. The public celebration later returned to its familiar illuminated format.