• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise
  • Contact our Team
  • In the News
  • For NYC Residents
    • NYC Free Parking Calendar 2020
    • ID NYC Card for Free Museum Admission
    • Where to Donate Goods or Volunteer

NYC on the Cheap

Get More New York City for Less Money

  • Aways
    Free
    • Best FREE Things to Do in New York City
    • FREE Museum Admission by Borough
    • FREE Museum Admission by Day of Week
    • NYC Museums With No Admission Fee Ever
    • FREE Tickets to Late Night TV Shows
    • FREE Tickets to Daytime TV Shows
  • Entertainment
    & the Arts
    • Family Fun
    • NYC Discount Tickets
    • Philadelphia Ticket Deals
    • Movies
    • NYC Free: Museum Admission by Day of Week
    • NYC Theater
  • Food & Drink
    Deals
    • Where to Eat in Times Square
    • Best Jewish delis for overstuffed sandwiches
    • All-You-Can-Eat Sushi Deals
    • Best NYC Lobster Restaurants
    • Best Happy Hours
    • Birthday Freebies: Restaurants
    • Daily Deals
  • Shopping
    in NYC
    • Ten Things for $1 in NYC
    • Scam Alert
    • Discounts for Seniors
    • Birthday Freebies: Retail Stores
    • Best Resale Shops
    • Cheapest Gas
  • Things
    to Do
    • Seasonal Events
    • Free & Cheap Weekend Events
    • NYC Historic Homes now Museums
    • Where to See Hamilton in NYC
    • NYC Theater
    • Carousels in All 5 Boros
    • 9/11 Memorial & Museum
    • Events in NYC Parks
    • Get Free Tickets to Late Night TV Shows
    • NYC Festivals
    • Getting Around
  • Family
    Fun
    • Best Musems for Kids in Manhattan
    • Carousels in all 5 Boroughs
  • Crisis
    Resources
  • Scam
    Alert
  • Getaways
    & Travel Deals
  • Free & Cheap
    Events
  • Best FREE Things to Do in NYC
  • NYC Sightseeing and Tours Discounts
  • Ticket Deals
  • Cheapest Gas Prices
  • For NYC Residents
You are here: Home / Best of NYC / Times Square New Year’s Eve schedule
← NYC free: Three Kings Day Parade
NYC news you might have missed in December →

Times Square New Year’s Eve schedule

POSTED BY
Evelyn Kanter

Join more than a million of your closet friends in Times Square on New Year’s Eve for the biggest party on the planet, including performances by Gloria Estefan, Mariah Carey, Rachel Platten, a tribute to US military, a video message from First Lady Michelle Obama, and more

For 112 years, Times Square has been the center of worldwide attention on New Year’s Eve, ever since 1904 when the owners of One Times Square began rooftop celebrations to greet the New Year. The first Ball Lowering celebration occurred in 1907, and this tradition is now a universal symbol of welcoming the New Year.

Allison Hagendorf, Global Head of Rock at Spotify, network television host, and Live Announcer of the MTV Video Music Awards and MTV Movie Awards, returns for her fifth year as the Times Square New Year’s Eve Event Host.

Here’s the minute-to-minute schedule, starting with street closings and the arrival of what the Times Square people call “The Revelers”.  That’s you, folks.

3:00 p.m.
The Revelers – The Bow Tie of Times Square (42nd to 47th Sts. between Broadway & 7th Ave.) is fully closed to traffic. Revelers are directed by the NYPD to gather in separate viewing sections. As one section fills up,  revelers are directed by police to the next viewing section. As the evening progresses, revelers continue to fill the Times Square neighborhood along Broadway and Seventh Avenue moving uptown from 43rd Street to as far as Central Park.

6:00 p.m. to 6:03 p.m.
Lighting and Raising the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball – The celebration begins with the lighting and raising of the New Year’s Eve Ball atop One Times Square. Event organizers and representatives of the Philips Lighting Company flip the giant switch which lights the New Year’s Eve Ball. It makes its ascent accompanied by special pyrotechnic effects atop One Times Square.

6:04 p.m. to 6:07 p.m.
Intro of Webcast Host & Kiss Stage – Allison Hagendorf introduces Jonathan Bennett at the Kiss Stage between 44th and 45th Streets.

6:07 p.m. to 6:21 p.m.
Chinese Cultural Performance – The Sino-American Friendship Association (“SAFA”) presents its annual and a spectacular Chinese cultural performance, on the Countdown Stage at Duffy Island between 46th and 47th Streets. The Chinese cultural performance finale is  red and gold pyrotechnic effects atop One Times Square.

6:25 p.m.
Times Square 2017 Hats, Balloons, and Scarves  – The Times Square Alliance sanitation crew clad in bright red uniforms begins to distribute tens of thousands of fun handouts to the Times Square revelers for cheering in the New Year. Planet Fitness is providing festive purple and yellow New Year’s Eve hats and purple balloons tied with gold mylar ribbons. The Sino-American Friendship Association is providing beautiful red scarves.

6:53 p.m. to 6:56 p.m.
Good Riddance Day Highlights – Allison Hagendorf shares highlights from Good Riddance Day with the Times Square revelers, atthe Countdown Stage.

6:58 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Hourly Countdown with Anderson Cooper – At two minutes before each hour until Midnight, Anderson Cooper and others appear at the Countdown Stage to wish the Times Square revelers “Happy New Year”; and lead the ten second countdown to the 7 o’clock hour accompanied by colorful pyrotechnic effects atop One Times Square. Anderson will also read several of the Confetti Wishes to be mixed into the confetti release at midnight and share his wish for the New Year.

7:02 p.m. to 7:12 p.m.
Univision’s “¡Feliz 2017!: Performance by Luis Coronel – The popular Latin star performs a medley of his hit songs Tu Boca Me Hipnotiza, Cuando La Miro, Quiero Ser Tu Dueño and Me Voy de Rumba on the Planet Fitness Stage.

7:13 p.m. to 7:18 p.m.
Musical Performance by Jojo Abot – Jojo Abot was selected to perform as part of the inaugural New Year, New Voices platform for emerging New York City musical artists.  She is a Ghanaian singer-songwriter who divides her time between Accra, Copenhagen and New York City. Her music features a worldwide sound with an experimental blend of electronica, afrobeat, jazz, neo-soul, house and reggae, on the Kiss Stage.

7:23 p.m. to 7:28 p.m.
Planet Fitness “Judgement Free” with Jenny McCarthy – The entertainer leads revelers in a fun “Judgement Free” moment.

7:57 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Hourly Countdown with Silentó – Silentó will appear at the Countdown Stage to wish the Times Square revelers “Happy New Year”; and lead the ten second countdown to the 8 o’clock hour accompanied by colorful pyrotechnic effects atop One Times Square. He will also read several of the Confetti Wishes to be mixed into the confetti release at midnight and share his wish for the New Year.

8:01 p.m. to 8:04 p.m.
Getting Ready For The Midnight Kiss! – Jonathan Bennett preps revelers for midnight kiss at the Kiss Stage and encourages revelers to send their photos to #BallDrop to be displayed on the Toshiba sign below the Times Square Ball.

8:11 p.m. to 8:23 p.m.
Musical Performance by Rachel Platten – Rachel Platten performs Beating Me Up, Stand By You, and Fight Song on the Planet Fitness Stage.

8:29 p.m. to 8:35 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by Gloria Estefan – Estefan performs a medley of her greatest hits with the Broadway cast from “On Your Feet” on the Countdown Stage.

8:41 p.m. to 8:48 p.m.
The FYI Network Presents, “Kiss Bang Love” – This is a shameless live commercial promotion for a new TV series where singles choose a potential match based on blindfold kissing, on the Kiss Stage.  You get to see this several times this evening.  It’s repeated again 9:01 p.m. to 9:04 p.m and again at 10:18 p.m. to 10:21 p.m..

8:53 p.m. to 8:58 p.m.
The USO Show Troupe Performance – The USO Show Troupe performs a Military Salute to honor our Armed Forces on the Countdown Stage.

8:58 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Hourly Countdown with FNC’s “All-American New Year” – FNC hosts Kimberly Guilfoyle and Eric Bolling are  at the Countdown Stage to wish the Times Square revelers “Happy New Year”; and lead the ten second countdown to the 9 o’clock hour accompanied by colorful pyrotechnic effects atop One Times Square. They will also read several of the Confetti Wishes to be mixed into the confetti release at midnight and share their wishes for the New Year.

9:05 p.m. to 9:08 p.m. – Waterford Crystal Toast

9:12 p.m. to 9:24 p.m.
Musical Performance by Gavin Degraw – DeGraw performs his hit songs I Don’t Want To Be, Not Over You and She Sets the City on Fire on the Planet Fitness Stage.

9:27 p.m. to 9:29 p.m. – Global Citizen Video Message

9:37 p.m. to 9:43 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by DNCE – DNCE performs medley of Cake By The Ocean and Body Moves on the Countdown Stage.

9:52 p.m. to 9:55 p.m.
Toshiba and Bill Nye’s Happy New Year Message

9:57 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Hourly Countdown with Planet Fitness – Health club representatives ap ear at the Countdown Stage to wish the Times Square revelers “Happy New Year”; and lead the ten second countdown to the 10 o’clock hour accompanied by colorful pyrotechnic effects atop One Times Square. They will also read several of the Confetti Wishes to be mixed into the confetti release at midnight and share their wishes for the New Year.

10:02 p.m. to 10:12 p.m.
Univision’s “¡Feliz 2017!: Performance by Lupillo Rivera – Rivera performs medley of his hit songs on the Planet Fitness Stage.

10:13 p.m. to 10:16 p.m.
Barefoot Bubbly Toast

10:23 p.m. to 10:28 p.m.
Planet Fitness Presents the “Judgement Free” Marching Band Halftime Show – The Marching Cobras perform Uptown Funk on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.

10:34 p.m. to 10:41 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by Thomas Rhett – He performs medley of his hit songs Vacation, T-Shirt and Die A Happy Man on the Countdown Stage.

10:46 p.m. to 10:51 p.m.
Musical Performance by Silentó – Silentó performs Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae) on the Planet Fitness Stage

10:57 p.m. to 11:01 p.m.
Hourly Countdown with Raúl de Molina – He is at he Countdown Stage to wish the Times Square revelers “Happy New Year”; and lead the ten second countdown to the 11 o’clock hour accompanied by colorful pyrotechnic effects atop One Times Square. Raul will also read several of the Confetti Wishes to be mixed into the confetti release at midnight and share his wish for the New Year.

11:02 p.m. to 11:09 p.m.
Univision’s ¡Feliz 2017!: Performance by Don Omar – He performs a medley of Danza Kuduro, Zumba, Hasta Que Salga El Sol and Te Quiero Pa´ Mi on the Planet Fitness Stage.

11:11 p.m. to 11:13 p.m.
First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama Video Message

11:16 p.m. to 11:19 p.m.
The Associated Press Presents 2016 Year-End Video Highlights – The AP, the  world’s oldest and largest news gathering organization, presents a news reel highlighting some of the most memorable events of 2016.

11:38 p.m. to 11:44 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by Mariah Carey – Mariah Carey performs medley of Auld Lang Syne, Emotions and We Belong Together on the Countdown Stage.

11:51 p.m. to 11:58 p.m.
Special Musical Performance by Rachel Platten –  Rachel Platten performs Lonely Planet and John Lennon’s Imagine on the Planet Fitness Stage.

11:59 p.m.
The Sixty-Second Countdown – NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio and special guest United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon push the Waterford crystal button that signals the descent of the New Year’s Eve Ball, and lead the final sixty-second countdown to the New Year on the Countdown Stage.

The Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball – The lighted Ball descends 70 feet in sixty seconds. The Ball is a geodesic sphere, twelve feet in diameter, weighing 11,875 pounds. The Ball is covered with 2,688 Waterford crystal triangles and lit by 32,256 Philips Luxeon Rebel LEDs.

12:00 a.m.
New Year’s Day 2017 Sign, Confetti release and Pyrotechnic Display
At the stroke of Midnight, the lights on the New Year’s Eve Ball are turned off as the numerals of the New Year “2017” burst to life shining high above Times Square.

Times Square Confetti Release and Pyrotechnic Effects
The world-famous New Year’s Eve confetti is released from the rooftops of buildings throughout Times Square creating a celebratory blizzard of colorful confetti as revelers welcome the New Year accompanied by colorful pyrotechnic effects. The three thousand pounds of confetti includes tens of thousands of wishes from revelers around the world hoping for peace, love, good health and a better future in the new year.

12:15 a.m.  – End of Show, and the NYC Dept. of Sanitation begins its monumental clean-up of 3,000 pounds of confetti and other things The Revelers have left behind.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Related

Posted by Evelyn Kanter on December 31, 2016 | Updated March 18, 2017 Filed Under: Best of NYC Tagged With: BallDrop· timessquarenyc

Reader Interactions

What do you think about this? We welcome your comments. Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Get Free Email Updates

Be the first to know about NYC free and cheap events, discounts and deals by signing up for our FREE enewsletter.

Latest News Trending Now

  • McDonald's Throwback Thursdays: 15-35 Cent Items
    McDonald's Throwback Thursdays: 15-35 Cent Items
  • NYC Free: Prismatica Outdoor Kaleidoscope Display
    NYC Free: Prismatica Outdoor Kaleidoscope Display
  • Jewish Film Festival 2021 at Lincoln Center is Virtual
    Jewish Film Festival 2021 at Lincoln Center is Virtual
  • Freebies & Deals for Frontline & Emergency Service Workers & Teachers
    Freebies & Deals for Frontline & Emergency Service Workers & Teachers
  • 51 Free, Cheap & Virtual Things to Do This Weekend
    51 Free, Cheap & Virtual Things to Do This Weekend
  • How to Get a FREE Covid Vaccination in NYC: Update
    How to Get a FREE Covid Vaccination in NYC: Update
  • 101 FREE & Cheap Things to Do This Week
    101 FREE & Cheap Things to Do This Week
  • Frugal Over Fifty: Senior Deals & Discounts
    Frugal Over Fifty: Senior Deals & Discounts
  • Last Chance for SNL Tickets
    Last Chance for SNL Tickets
  • Free and Cheap Events Calendar
    Free and Cheap Events Calendar

Search by Category

Footer

About NYC on the Cheap

NYC does not have to be expensive when you know where the deals and freebies are.

We’re here to help you save money on NYC restaurants, theater, museums, shopping, events and more, as we have been doing since 2010.

Get more NYC for less money with NYCOTC. That’s our motto and we’re sticking to it.

Contact us: info@nyconthecheap.com

Who We Are

Your chief guide is Evelyn Kanter, a lifelong New Yorker and award-winning professional journalist.

Evelyn Kanter is a former consumer reporter for WABC-TV Eyewitness News and WCBS Radio Newsradio 88, the author of several NYC travel guidebooks and mobile apps, and zillions of newspaper and magazine articles, including for the NY Times, NY Post, NY Daily News and New York Magazine. Nobody  can match those NYC credentials.

Disclosure

NYC on the Cheap has an affiliate relationship with several companies which offer discounts and deals on this site.  When you purchase from one of these advertiser links, we earn a small commission.

If you’d like to help keep NYCOTC in the business of helping you save money, this is a great way to do it. It’s a win-win because the direct links save you both time searching for great deals and money.

Best Seller: NYC Guidebook by Evelyn Kanter

100 Things to do in NYC Before You Die

© 2021 NYC on the Cheap. Living On The Cheap® and On the Cheap® are registered trademarks owned by Living On The Cheap Inc. Site design by Five J's Design.
All the stories on our site are protected by copyright and any unauthorized copying is strictly prohibited. Plus, it is just not nice.

Email subscription form header
Subscribe for free to NYC on the Cheap and never miss a free event or discount deal.
Our daily newsletter is the FREE. fast. and easy way to find out about New York City deals, discounts, free events, and more.
Please wait...
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.