The Times Square Ball Drop is the New Year's Eve event in which an illuminated ball descends in New York City.
The ball is lowered from One Times Square during the final minute of December 31. Its descent ends at midnight, when the new year begins in the Eastern Time Zone. The ceremony is accompanied by a countdown, performances, confetti, and a large public gathering in the surrounding streets.
The first ball drop took place in 1907. The original ball was built from iron and wood and lit by electric bulbs. Later versions changed in size and materials, eventually becoming a geodesic sphere covered with Waterford crystal panels and thousands of LEDs. The design has been updated several times to improve brightness, color, and weather resistance.
The event was suspended as a lighted spectacle in 1942 and 1943 because of World War II blackout restrictions. The crowd still observed midnight in silence while church bells sounded. Today, the Times Square Ball Drop is one of the most televised New Year's Eve traditions in the world, though many viewers experience it remotely rather than in the crowded plaza.