Which New Year's Eve event in New York City was first held in 1904 as a celebration for the New York Times building?

The Times Square celebration was first held in 1904 as a celebration for the New York Times building.

The New York Times moved its headquarters to a newly developed area then called Longacre Square in 1904. To publicize the building and its new address, the newspaper organized a New Year’s Eve celebration featuring fireworks. The area was renamed Times Square after the newspaper.

The famous ball drop came later, on December 31, 1907, welcoming 1908. Fireworks were replaced because city officials prohibited the use of fireworks for the event, and the illuminated ball provided a safer visual centerpiece.

This history creates a frequent mix-up: 1904 marks the first Times Square New Year’s celebration, while 1907 marks the first ball drop. The two dates refer to different stages in the development of the landmark countdown tradition.