Double Drop: Times Square's Historic New Year's Eve Ball Drop in 2022
This year, the iconic New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square, New York, will take place twice in a single year. The Constellation Ball, the largest version of the New Year's Eve sphere, will be illuminated and raised on its 139-foot pole atop the One Times Square building on December 30. At 11:59 p.m. ET, the 12½-foot, 12,350-pound ball will descend for 60 seconds to ring in the new year. Following this, at 12:04 a.m., the ball will be relighted in a red, white, and blue design to mark "America250," a commemoration of the nation's 250th anniversary. This will be the first time the ball drops twice in one year.
"America250" will launch the semiquincentennial year on New Year's Eve in Times Square, setting the stage for a significant celebration in 2026. The Times Square ball has undergone redesigns over the years to incorporate new technology. Since 2009, a ball has been permanently installed on top of One Times Square, serving as a landmark and tourist attraction in Manhattan. Times Square has been a hub for New Year's celebrations for 122 years, starting in 1904 with a fireworks display by The New York Times.
When fireworks were no longer allowed, lighted spheres were used for New Year's festivities in Times Square, inspired by chronographic spheres used by mariners in the 1800s. The Times Square ball will be illuminated twice this year, a departure from the two years during World War II when it remained dark due to blackout restrictions. This year's double drop signifies a unique and historic moment for the iconic New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square.