Times Square Ball to Drop Twice on New Year's Eve to Mark America's 250th Anniversary

The Times Square ball will drop twice on New Year's Eve for the first time in the tradition's 118-year history, with a second patriotic celebration at 12:04 a.m. to mark America's 250th anniversary, America250 announced.

After the traditional midnight countdown, the newly unveiled Constellation Ball will be re-lit in red, white, and blue with a special America250 design. It will then rise and descend again, accompanied by 2,000 pounds (907 kilogrammes) of patriotic confetti and a pyrotechnic finale set to Ray Charles' rendition of 'America the Beautiful'.

The moment marks the official start of the semi-quincentennial year, celebrating 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

First Time in History

The second drop represents an unprecedented moment in Times Square history. Since the ball drop tradition began in 1907, the celebration has only been cancelled twice during World War II in 1942 and 1943, when crowds marked the new year with a moment of silence followed by chimes, ABC News reported.

Rosie Rios, chair of America250, said the organisation wants to inspire all 350 million Americans to join in celebrating the country. The Times Square event will be the most-watched celebration on the planet, she explained, according to Gothamist.

The partnership between America250, One Times Square, and the Times Square Alliance has been seven years in the making, with organisers working together since the nonpartisan commission was created by Congress in 2016.

The Constellation Ball

The newly unveiled Constellation Ball is the ninth iteration of the Times Square ball and the largest yet. Measuring 12.5 feet (3.8 metres) in diameter and weighing 12,350 pounds (5,602 kilogrammes), it features 5,280 handcrafted Waterford crystals and LED light pucks.

This represents nearly double the number of crystals compared to the previous ball. For the first time, the ball features circular crystals rather than triangular ones, available in three sizes: 1.5-inch (3.8-centimetre), 3-inch (7.6-centimetre) and 4-inch (10.2-centimetre) diameters.

The 2026 crystals celebrate the theme 'Infinite Life, Infinite Liberty, Infinite Happiness', with designs featuring interwoven curves and circular motifs that symbolise the shared ideals at the heart of America's story.

Year-Long Celebration

The New Year's Eve event launches a year-long partnership that will culminate in a second historic ball drop on 3 July 2026, the eve of America's actual 250th birthday.

This July event will mark the first time in over a century that the Times Square ball drops on a date other than New Year's Eve.

On 1 January, America250 will continue the celebration by participating in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, with a float themed 'Soaring Onward Together for 250 Years', featuring three larger-than-life bald eagles representing the country's past, present, and future.

How to Watch

The Times Square festivities begin at 6:00 p.m. EST on 31 December, when the America250 ball design will be revealed during 'The Star-Spangled Banner'.

Major commercial networks, including ABC and CBS, will broadcast the celebrations live on their respective channels and streaming services. A commercial-free webcast will also be available on Times Square's official website from 6:00 p.m., offering backstage access and interviews with performers.

Tom Harris, president of the Times Square Alliance, said the moment will unite crowds in the streets with millions around the world to celebrate together as one, according to Q105.

Rios expressed confidence that the celebrations will be the most inspirational the country and possibly the world has ever seen, with hundreds of events and programmes planned nationwide throughout 2026.