New Year's Eve celebration: What's new about the 2026 ball drop this year? All you need to know
Times Square will welcome 2026 with a special ball drop and celebrations marking a historic milestone for the nation
As the clock strikes midnight in Times Square, revellers welcoming 2026 will be treated to more than the traditional New Year's celebration. Red, white, and blue confetti will cascade through the crowd to mark the start of America's 250th anniversary. The specialmoment will kick off the nation's semiquincentennial, commemorating 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, as reported by ABC.
What else is new at this year's ball drop?
The chair of America250, Rosie Rios, previously told Good Morning America, "What better way to ring in 2026 with the iconic global countdown in Times Square."
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In addition to the festive confetti, set to begin around 12:04am ET, the iconic Times Square ball will showcase a special design for the occasion. The celebration will culminate in a spectacular pyrotechnic display synchronised to a rendition of "America the Beautiful performed by the late Ray Charles.
Rios said, "It's going to actually be the first time you're going to see this technology deployed in this way ever. So we're excited to be part of this."
New additions to the New Year's Eve ball
This year's New Year's Eve centrepiece, the constellation Ball, marks the ninth ball to be featured at Times Square since 1907. Measuring 12.5 feet in diameter, the ball is adorned with 5,280 handcrafted Waterford crystals and LED lights, and weighs 12,530 pounds, according to One Times Square, the organisation responsible for its design.
When is the second ball drop this year?
Following the traditional New Year's Eve ball drop, Times Square will host a second lowering of the Constellation Ball later in the year. On July 3, 2026, the ball will descend once more to celebrate Independence Day, as reported by ABC.
