Thousands of revelers gathered in Times Square, New York, for over 12 hours, cheering in celebration of the New Year as they watched the massive New Year’s Eve ball gradually descend from its pole until midnight. After hours of waiting in the square, the attendees witnessed the ball drop over the course of a minute, settling on the ground at midnight, which was followed by fireworks and celebrations marking the arrival of the new year. The tradition of the ball drop in Times Square dates back to 1907, three years after the city's residents began celebrating New Year's Eve in the square.
Many attendees arrived early in the morning to secure a spot in one of the barricaded areas set up by the New York City Police Department to watch performances by Megan Thee Stallion and LL Cool J before the countdown in the last sixty seconds of the year. Nadia Schiostrom, 44, who came to New York from Stockholm, Sweden just days ago for the occasion, had been standing amidst the illuminated billboards in Times Square since around 8 a.m. She said, “This is the first time I’m celebrating New Year’s Eve in Times Square.”
This was also the first time for Marcus Washington, 49, who came from Brooklyn. He expressed, "I feel amazing. It’s incredible despite the cold weather." Antonio Roth, 51, booked a flight from Granada, Spain, to achieve his lifelong dream and joined the crowd in the barricaded area around 8:15 a.m. He stated, “Since I was a child, I’ve been watching this amazing show on television, so I wanted to experience it,” describing the moment as a "once-in-a-lifetime" experience, confirming that he does not plan to repeat it. He added, “I love New York, but waiting 15 hours is a very long time for just one moment.”
