- A second Times Square ball drop on New Year's Eve will celebrate America's 250th birthday with red, white and blue colors.
- America250 celebrations will include a video premiere and a spectacular pyro finale on New Year's Eve.
- There will also be another ball drop on the eve of July 4.
Not one but two ball drops will occur in New York City’s famed Times Square on New Year’s Eve, and the second one will be red, white and blue.
Ringing in the new year in Times Square, complete with a nationally televised extravaganza and numerous musical tributes, is a time-honored tradition going back more than 110 years. Millions of Americans tune in to watch the magical moment to close out the year.
This year, a second drop will kick off months of celebrations for the country’s upcoming 250th birthday. This will give an early glimpse of the hundreds of events and programs coming in 2026 that will mark the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
America250, the bipartisan commission created to organize the semiquincentennial anniversary, worked with the Times Square Alliance business district and One Times Square to make changes to this year’s New Year’s Eve ceremonies.
The group is also organizing another ball drop on the eve of July 4.
A second ball drop to celebrate America’s 250th birthday
Shortly after the ball makes its 60-second descent to signal the start of the new year, the ball will be relit and dropped again.
The second drop will occur at approximately 12:04 a.m. EST and the ball will be relit in red, white and blue, and will feature an America250 design, per USA Today.
“One Times Square has long been a place where the world comes together to celebrate pivotal moments — from the end of World War II to the moon landing,” Michael Phillips, head of the company that owns and operates One Times Square, said, according to The Hill. “We’re proud to serve as the starting point of this historic year, showcasing the nation’s celebration on a global stage.”
The second ball drop isn’t the only America250 celebration taking place that night.
There will also be a new video titled “America Turns 250,” a blue confetti drop and a “dynamic pyro finale set” to the tune of Ray Charles’ rendition of “America the Beautiful,” per USA Today.
Throughout the evening, America250 will have a series of features, including a reveal of the America250 Ball Design atop One Times Square during “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
“America250 will kick off the semiquincentennial year on New Year’s Eve in Times Square — the most watched celebration on the planet — signaling that the largest and most inspiring celebration and commemoration in our nation’s history is underway in 2026,” Rosie Rios, chair of America250, said in a statement. “Our goal is to inspire all 350 million Americans to join in this moment to celebrate our country.”
How to watch the ball drop
The New Year’s Eve celebrations in Times Square will be broadcast on major commercial networks such as ABC and CBS, as well as on their respective streaming services.
According to USA Today, viewers will also be able to watch a live webcast on Times Square’s official website, starting at 6 p.m. EST on Wednesday.
A July 4 ball drop to celebrate 250 years
The Constellation Ball will drop again on Friday, July 3, the eve of the nation’s birthday. It will be the first time in history the ball will drop on a day other than New Year’s Eve, according to The Hill.
“The Fourth of July countdown moment will anchor America250’s nationwide Independence Day celebrations and reinforce New York City’s central role in the nation’s Semiquincentennial,” a statement from America250 said.
Other America250 celebrations coming next year include a “Great American State Fair” that will feature exhibits from all 50 states on the National Mall, an Independence Day celebration with fireworks and a military flyover, and an Ultimate Fighting Championship event at the White House.
“I’m telling you right now, whatever you’re imagining, it’s going to be much more than that,” said America250 Chair Rosie Rios, per ABC News. “It’s going to be one for the ages, the most inspirational celebration this country and maybe the world has ever seen.”
The launch of America Gives
The stroke of midnight leading into the new year will also mark the official launch of America Gives.
America Gives is a national service initiative created by American250. The goal is to make 2026 the largest year of volunteer hours ever aggregated in the U.S.
History of the New Year’s Eve ball drop
The first New Year’s Eve ball was dropped in Times Square in 1907. That first ball was built by a young metalworker named Jacob Starr, per ABC News. The ball weighed 700 pounds, had a diameter of 5 feet and was made of iron and wood with 100 25-watt light bulbs.
Last year, the ninth and largest version of the ball, the Constellation Ball, was unveiled. The new ball measured 12 feet in diameter and weighs almost 12,000 pounds.
Since 1907, there have only been two years with no ball drops: 1942 and 1943 during World War II, when the city instituted a nightly “dimout.” Instead, crowds celebrated the new year with a moment of silence followed by chimes rung from the base of One Times Square, according to ABC News.