Which New Year's Eve event in New York City began using a descending ball in 1907?

The Times Square ball drop began using a descending ball in 1907.

The first ball drop took place on December 31, 1907, to welcome 1908 in New York City's Times Square. It was organized by Adolph Ochs, publisher of The New York Times, whose newspaper had moved its headquarters to the area. The event replaced fireworks that had previously marked the occasion.

The original ball was made of iron and wood, fitted with electric lights, and measured about five feet in diameter. Later balls changed in size, materials, lighting, and design. The modern version is a large illuminated sphere lowered from a flagpole atop One Times Square during the final minute of the year.

The drop has occasionally been canceled or altered, including during wartime blackouts and other exceptional circumstances. “Ball drop” refers to the timed descent itself; it is separate from the building's name and from New York City's wider New Year's Eve celebrations.