The world’s best and most famous New Year’s Eve party in Times Square has another blockbuster list of entertainers, and there will be confetti and the famous crystal ball will drop. But there will be no live crowd of one million revelers welcoming 2021.
Only special invited guests will be on there – they are the first responders, frontline and essential workers and their families who sacrificed so much in 2020 to provide care and support for us.
Entertainment includes music legend Gloria Gaynor singing “I Will Survive”, the global anthem of encouragement and inspiration, and a rendition of John Lennon’s “Imagine” just before the Ball Drop.
In addition to two-time Grammy winner Gaynor, there are musical performances by musical performances by Anitta, Pitbull, the USO Show Troupe, The Waffle Crew, Jennifer Lopez, Billy Porter, Cyndi Lauper, Jimmie Allen, and Machine Gun Kelly for ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” plus special activities and appearances throughout the evening.
For the first time ever, you can watch the webcast live – right here on NYC on the Cheap, starting at 6pm Thursday, Dec. 31.
So bookmark this page.
Singer-songwriter Andra Day headlines the live commercial-free webcast and TV pool feed, and actor and TV personality Jonathan Bennett returns as Times Square New Year’s Eve Host.
She will perform her Grammy Award-nominated single “Rise Up,” as well as her song “Forever Mine.”
In addition to “I Will Survive,” Gaynor will perform “Joy Comes In The Morning” and her hit song, “Never Can Say Goodbye.”
Times Square New Year’s Eve Special Guests
As the event’s official Special Guests, Times Square New Year’s Eve will recognize the “Heroes of 2020,” those that show the courage and creativity to help us through this year — first responders, frontline and essential workers and their families who sacrificed so much in 2020 to provide care and support for their communities.
The Heroes of 2020 will be represented onsite by New York families of first responders, frontline and essential workers, whose personal stories from the past year inspire all of us and reflect the best of the human spirit.
These New York stories of sacrifice and public service are representative of family stories in every community in every state across our country and around the world.
Times Square New Year’s Eve Virtual Experience
New this year, Jamestown, owner of One Times Square – home of the iconic Ball Drop Celebration – has created a first-of-its-kind virtual New Year’s Eve experience of music, art and games – which you can begin enjoying now.
Then, on December 31st, you can tune in for a live broadcast where they can choose from multiple camera feeds to direct your very ownNew Year’s Eve show.
Plus, viewers will also get a chance to see other celebrations from around the globe, and hear messages from local leaders and people from dozens of cities from around the world.
Additional Ways to Watch the Times Square New Year’s Eve event:
Visit www.VNYE.com for more information and download the NYE app to join the live celebration on New Year’s Eve.
Mobile Streaming (FREE):
TimesSquareNYC.org
NewYearsEve.nyc
TimesSquareBall.net
WATCH ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook.com/TimesSquareNYC
Twitter.com/TimesSquareNYC
Times Square New Year’s Eve History
For 116 years, Times Square has been the center of worldwide attention on New Year’s Eve, ever since the owners of One Times Square began in 1904 to conduct 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.
We’ll have the full minute-to-minute schedule for you tomorrow.
Photo credit Countdown Entertainment, LLC
THE EVENT
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. We flip the giant switch which lights the New Year’s Eve Ball and begins its ascent accompanied by special pyrotechnic effects atop One Times Square.
6:08 p.m. to 6:12 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by Billy Porter
Billy Porter will perform For What It’s Worth on the Countdown Stage.
6:57 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Hourly Countdown
7:01 p.m. to 7:03 p.m.
Good Riddance Day Highlights
The host of Times Square New Year’s Eve, Jonathan Bennett will share highlights from Good Riddance Day with the Times Square revelers from the Countdown Stage.
7:03 p.m. to 7:17 p.m.
The USO Show Troupe Performance
The USO Show Troupe performs a Military Salute, Stars and Stripes, and Empire State of Mind to honor our Armed Forces on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.
7:58 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Hourly Countdown
8:01 p.m. to 8:11 p.m.
Musical Performance by Andra Day
Andra Day will perform her hit songs Rise Up and Forever Mine on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.
8:11 p.m. to 8:14 p.m.
Waterford Crystal Toast
8:30 p.m. to 8:36 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by Jimmie Allen
Jimmie Allen performs a medley of his hit songs on the Countdown Stage.
8:45 p.m. to 8:57 p.m.
Musical Performance by Gloria Gaynor
Gloria Gaynor performs her hit songs I Will Survive, Never Can Say Goodbye and Joy Comes In The Morning on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.
8:57 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Hourly Countdown
9:39 p.m. to 9:45 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by Machine Gun Kelly
Machine Gun Kelly performs medley of his hit songs on the Countdown Stage.
9:58 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Hourly Countdown with Planet Fitness
10:01 p.m. to 10:06 p.m.
Planet Fitness Performance by The Waffle Crew
The Waffle Crew performs on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.
10:06 p.m. to 10:09 p.m.
Barefoot Toast
10:18 p.m. to 10:26 p.m.
Univision’s ¡Feliz 2021!: Performance by Anitta
Anitta performs on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.
10:37 p.m. to 10:44 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by Cyndi Lauper & Billy Porter
Cyndi Lauper & Billy Porter performs medley of songs on the Countdown Stage.
10:58 p.m. to 11:01 p.m.
Hourly Countdown with Raúl de Molina
As we approach the New Year, Raúl de Molina will appear at the 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 purple and yellow confetti release and 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.
11:01 p.m. to 11:15 p.m.
Univision’s ¡Feliz 2021!: Performance by Pitbull
Pitbull performs on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.
11:38 p.m. to 11:46 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez performs a medley of her hit songs on the Countdown Stage.
11:55 p.m. to 11:58 p.m.
Special Musical Performance by Andra Day
Andra Day performs John Lennon’s Imagine on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.
11:59 p.m.
The Sixty-Second Countdown
The Mayor of New York City will 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 Waterford Crystal 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 LEDs.
12:00 a.m. — New Year’s Day
2021 Sign
At the stroke of Midnight, the lights on the New Year’s Eve Ball are turned off as the numerals of the New Year “2021” 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.
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