Times Square ball drop 2027: countdown, time and how to watch
The ball drops from the top of One Times Square in New York at 11:59 PM ET on Thursday, December 31, 2026, landing at midnight to start 2027. It's free to watch in person (no tickets) and is shown live on TV and online. The countdown above runs to midnight Eastern, whatever your time zone.
New Year's Eve in Times Square: the schedule
| About 3 PM | Viewing pens open (first come, first served) |
| About 6 PM | The ball is raised to the top of the pole; the webcast and performances start |
| 11:59 PM | The ball starts its 60-second descent |
| 12:00 AM | Midnight: confetti, "Auld Lang Syne" and "New York, New York" |
Times are from recent years. The Times Square Alliance confirms each year's details at timessquarenyc.org.
How to watch the ball drop in person
- Get there early. Pens start filling in the early afternoon, and the closest spots can be gone by midday.
- Enter from Sixth or Eighth Avenue. Streets around Times Square close and police direct you to the next open pen. Best views are along Broadway from 43rd to 50th Street and Seventh Avenue up to 59th.
- Plan for no bathrooms. There are none in the viewing areas and leaving usually means losing your spot.
- Travel light. No large bags, backpacks, umbrellas or alcohol. Dress warm: you may stand outside for 9 or more hours.
- Take the subway. Driving near Times Square is close to impossible that night.
How to watch on TV or online
ABC's Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve and CNN carry the drop live, and the Times Square Alliance streams it free on its website and YouTube. If you're in another time zone, the New York drop comes at 9 PM Pacific, 10 PM Mountain, 11 PM Central, and 5 AM in London on New Year's Day. See the time in New York now or the New Year countdown for your own midnight.
Where the ball drop came from: the time ball
Long before New Year's Eve, ports dropped a large ball from a mast at an exact time each day, usually 1 PM, so ship captains could set their chronometers. The first, at Greenwich in 1833, still drops every day. New York had its own time ball on the Western Union building from 1877. When the city banned the New York Times' fireworks, owner Adolph Ochs borrowed the idea, and on December 31, 1907 the first ball dropped in Times Square. Read more about how sailors kept time at sea.
The ball over the years
| Year | What changed |
|---|---|
| 1907 | First ball drop, to welcome 1908: an iron-and-wood ball lit with 100 bulbs, about 700 pounds. |
| 1920 | A lighter all-iron ball replaces the first one. |
| 1942–1943 | No drop because of the wartime blackout. Crowds held a minute of silence at midnight, then chimes rang out. |
| 1955 | An aluminum ball, about 150 pounds. |
| 1981 | Red bulbs and a green stem turn it into a big apple for the 'I Love New York' campaign. |
| 1995 | Rhinestones, strobe lights and computer control. |
| 2000 | A Waterford crystal ball for the millennium. |
| 2008 | First LED ball, for the drop's 100th anniversary. |
| 2009 | The 12-foot, 11,875-pound geodesic LED ball goes up, covered in 2,688 crystal triangles. |
| 2026 | The Constellation Ball: 12.5 feet, just over 12,000 pounds, 5,280 round Waterford crystals. |
Is there a big clock in Times Square?
Yes. The Paramount Building at 1501 Broadway, between 43rd and 44th Streets, has a large four-sided clock near the top of its tower that has looked over Times Square since 1926. On New Year's Eve the big countdown clock on One Times Square takes over.
Questions people ask
What time does the ball drop in Times Square?
The ball starts its descent at 11:59 PM Eastern Time on December 31 and takes 60 seconds to fall, landing exactly at midnight as the new year begins.
Where does the ball drop in New York?
From the flagpole on the roof of One Times Square, the narrow building at 42nd Street between Broadway and Seventh Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.
Where is the best place to watch the ball drop in Times Square?
Along Broadway between 43rd and 50th Streets, and along Seventh Avenue up to 59th Street. Viewing pens fill from north to south, so the earlier you arrive, the closer to the ball you'll be.
How do you watch the ball drop in Times Square in person?
It's free and no tickets are needed. Enter from Sixth or Eighth Avenue (in recent years at 45th, 49th, 52nd and 56th Streets) and police direct you into a viewing pen. Pens opened at 3 PM for the 2026 celebration, and the best spots fill much earlier. Check timessquarenyc.org for this year's details.
Are there bathrooms at the Times Square ball drop?
No. There are no public restrooms in the viewing areas, and if you leave your pen you usually can't get back in. Large bags, backpacks, umbrellas and alcohol are not allowed.
How do I watch the ball drop on TV?
ABC's Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, CNN and other networks show it live, and the Times Square Alliance streams the night free online from about 6 PM ET.
How heavy is the Times Square ball?
The new Constellation Ball that debuted for 2026 is 12.5 feet wide, weighs just over 12,000 pounds and is covered with 5,280 Waterford crystals. It's the largest ball in the event's history.
Why is there a ball drop on New Year's Eve?
It copies the time ball, a 19th-century invention: a large ball dropped from a mast at an exact time each day so ships' navigators could set their clocks. The New York Times first dropped a ball in Times Square on December 31, 1907.
Sources
- Times Square Alliance: New Year's Eve
- CNN: Times Square has a new ball (Dec 31, 2025)
- CBS New York: How to watch New Year's Eve in Times Square
Last updated October 18, 2026.