The traditional New Year’s Eve event in Times Square, New York City, is the ball drop.
During the ceremony, a large illuminated ball descends from a flagpole atop One Times Square during the final minute of December 31. It reaches the bottom at midnight, marking the beginning of January 1 in New York’s time zone. The event is watched by a large in-person crowd and a worldwide television audience.
The first Times Square ball drop took place in 1907. The tradition was created by the New York Times after the newspaper’s new headquarters had replaced a fireworks-based celebration with a safer illuminated display. The ball’s materials, lighting, size, and control systems have changed repeatedly over the decades.
The ball drop is distinct from the countdown itself: the countdown is the spoken or displayed sequence leading to midnight, while the drop is the physical descent. It is also different from the separate fireworks displays that may appear elsewhere in New York City. The phrase “ball drop” has become shorthand for the entire Times Square celebration.