Times Square New Year's Eve Ball Drop 2026/27: Dates (Dec 31 to Jan 1) and Fares

Name: Times Square New Year's Eve Ball Drop 2026/27
Start: 2026-12-31
End: 2027-01-01
Location: Times Square, New York

When is Times Square New Year's Eve Ball Drop 2026/27?

Times Square New Year's Eve Ball Drop 2026/27 runs December 31 to January 1, 2027. It's held on the same dates every year.

2026/27December 31 to January 1, 2027Every year

2027/28December 31 to January 1, 2028Every year

How the dates are set: It is held every December 31, with the ball resting at midnight to start January 1.

See every event in December 2026

Times Square New Year's Eve Ball Drop schedule

6:00 p.m. ET: Festivities formally begin in the early evening with the opening ceremony and the raising of the ball.
7 p.m. to 11 p.m. (2025 edition): In the 2025 edition, the Countdown Stage led a ten-second countdown to each hour from 7 to 11 p.m., with pyrotechnic effects atop One Times Square.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org, timessquarenyc.org

Tickets and cost

Parties with a view of the ball drop are sold separately. One listed for December 31, 2026 at 240 West 52nd started at $649.

Source: balldrop.com

History of Times Square New Year's Eve Ball Drop

The first Times Square ball lowering took place on December 31, 1907, to welcome 1908, building on rooftop fireworks that began in 1904. It has been held annually since, except in 1942 and 1943 because of wartime blackouts. The crowd countdown became an established practice in 1979.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

Times Square New Year's Eve Ball Drop: questions people ask

What time do the Times Square New Year's Eve festivities start?

They formally begin in the early evening, with the ball raised at 6:00 p.m. ET.

How much confetti falls in Times Square at midnight?

At least 3,000 pounds of confetti is dropped, thrown by a team of 100 volunteers on the rooftops of eight buildings.

When did the Times Square ball drop start?

The first ball lowering was on December 31, 1907, to welcome 1908.

Has the Times Square ball drop ever been cancelled?

It was skipped in 1942 and 1943 because of wartime lighting restrictions. A moment of silence and church bells were used instead.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

About Times Square New Year's Eve Ball Drop

Watch the ball drop at One Times Square and the confetti storm that welcomes the new year.

Every December 31 the New Year's Eve Ball descends atop One Times Square, starting at 11:59 p.m. ET and resting at midnight. Festivities build through the evening with the ball raising at 6:00 p.m., hourly countdowns and entertainment, and at least 3,000 pounds of confetti is released at midnight. The ball drop has been held every year since 1907, except 1942 and 1943.

Know before you go

Festivities formally begin in the early evening with the ball raising at 6:00 p.m. ET.
The ball begins its descent at 11:59 p.m. ET and rests at midnight.
John F. Kennedy International (JFK), Newark (EWR) and LaGuardia (LGA) all serve New York City.

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