Which traditional New Year's Eve event in New York City was canceled during World War II blackouts in 1942 and 1943?

The Times Square Ball Drop was canceled during World War II blackouts in 1942 and 1943.

The annual ball-lowering tradition had begun in 1907, but wartime blackout rules required New York City to reduce or eliminate visible lights. The ball was not lowered on New Year's Eve in 1942 or 1943. Instead, crowds observed midnight in darkness and kept the celebration quieter than in peacetime.

The blackouts were part of broader civil-defense precautions intended to make cities less visible during a possible enemy attack. Times Square's illuminated advertising and public gathering were particularly conspicuous, so the normal spectacle could not continue under those conditions.

The ball returned after the wartime interruption. This episode is sometimes misstated as a permanent cancellation or attributed to a weather problem. The tradition's interruption was specifically connected to World War II blackout requirements, while the famous ball itself has continued to change in design and lighting technology.