History of the Times Square Ball Drop

Each year, millions around the world turn their eyes to the dazzling crystal ball in Times Square. As the clock nears midnight, it begins its slow descent—and voices everywhere join together to count down those final seconds, welcoming a brand-new year filled with hope, possibility, and dreams.

The Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball first dropped in 1904, a creation of Jacob Starr, a Ukrainian immigrant and metalworker, along with Adolph Ochs, the publisher of The New York Times. Initially, Ochs celebrated the new year with fireworks, but city officials soon banned explosives, leading to the establishment of a safer, yet equally dazzling, tradition.

The original ball, constructed from iron and wood and lit with 100 light bulbs, measured 5 feet in diameter and weighed 700 pounds. Over the years, it evolved: in 1920, a wrought iron ball replaced the original, and in 1955, an aluminum ball weighing just 150 pounds took its place. In the 1980s, there was a brief transformation into an apple for the “I Love New York” campaign before it returned to its classic glowing white form.

Modern upgrades began in the 1990s, introducing aluminum, rhinestones, strobes, and computerized controls. For the millennium celebration in 2000, the ball was redesigned with advanced lighting and traditional crystal, merging history with the future.

In 2007, to mark its 100th anniversary, LED technology replaced incandescent bulbs, resulting in a brighter and more energy-efficient display. Today’s iconic Big Ball measures 12 feet wide, weighs nearly six tons, and is covered with 2,688 crystal triangles illuminated by over 32,000 LEDs. It shines above Times Square year-round, serving as a sparkling reminder of a century-old tradition that continues to unite the world each New Year’s Eve.