New Year's Eve 2024: How to watch the ball drop live from Times Square

New Year's Eve 2024: How to watch the ball drop live from Times Square

New Year's Eve 2024: How to watch the ball drop live from Times Square

As we bid farewell to 2024 and welcome 2025, all eyes will be on Times Square in New York City, where thousands gather to ring in the new year with the iconic ball drop.

The renowned Times Square ball, a dazzling geodesic sphere weighing nearly 6 tons and adorned with 2,688 crystal triangles, will glide up and down a 139-foot pole atop the One Times Square building. At midnight, 3,000 pounds of vibrant paper will flutter through the air, some carrying written wishes for 2025.

“This is the crossroads of the entire planet right here in New York City,” said Mayor Eric Adams, highlighting the global significance of the event. People around the world tune in to watch the countdown and celebrate the arrival of the new year.

The ball has dropped in Times Square for almost 120 years, with two notable exceptions during World War II in 1942 and 1943, when a “dimout” policy was enacted to protect the city.

How to Watch the Ball Drop on New Year's Eve: NBC New York will provide live coverage of the Times Square events and the iconic ball drop starting at 6:30 p.m. through 1 a.m. You can stream it via NBC 4 New York on your preferred service, on YouTube, or via the video player provided.

Fun Facts about the Times Square Ball Drop:
The ball is 12 feet in diameter and weighs 11,875 pounds.
It is covered with over 2,600 crystal triangles, each symbolizing virtues such as love, wisdom, happiness, goodwill, and harmony.
The ball first dropped in 1907, marking the beginning of the New Year's tradition in Times Square.
The first ball was made from iron, wood, and lightbulbs.
The ball has been lowered every year since its inception, except for 1942 and 1943 during the wartime "dimout."
The tradition of "time-balls" dates back to at least the 1830s, when a ball dropped daily at England's Royal Observatory in Greenwich to help captains set their navigation tools.

With this exciting tradition, the Times Square ball drop continues to be a symbol of celebration and unity for millions of people worldwide.