Which New Year’s Eve event is held annually in New York City’s Times Square?

The ball drop is the annual New Year’s Eve event held in New York City’s Times Square.

At midnight, the illuminated Times Square Ball descends from One Times Square, marking the start of the new calendar year. The drop is preceded by a televised countdown and live performances, and the event is watched by people in the square as well as viewers around the world.

The ball-drop tradition began on December 31, 1907. It was inspired by time balls, devices once used in ports and observatories to provide a visual time signal. The Times Square version transformed that practical idea into a public celebration. Modern versions of the ball use an illuminated geodesic design covered with Waterford crystal panels.

The event was not held in its usual public form in 1942 and 1943 because wartime blackout restrictions prohibited bright public displays. The crowd still observed the transition with silence, showing how strongly the countdown had become part of New York’s civic life.