The world’s best New Year’s Eve party in Times Square is ready to welcome 2022 with entertainment, silly hats and noisemakers, and the world-famous Ball Drop at midnight with fireworks and confetti.
Entertainers include LL Cool J, Chloë, Journey, Karol G and the USO Show Troupe, which performs a medley including a Military Salute to US armed forces.
Times Square New Year’s Eve has been a NYC tradition for 117 years, ever since the owners of One Times Square began rooftop celebrations in 1904 to greet the New Year. The first Ball Lowering celebration was in 1907, and ever since, Times Square has been the center of worldwide attention on New Year’s Eve.
Once again, you can watch the events LIVE and commercial-free here on NYC on the Cheap.
Here’s the minute-by-minute entertainment schedule from the Times Square Alliance:
6:00 p.m. to 6:03 p.m.
Lighting and Raising the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball
The celebration begins atop One Times Square with the lighting and raising of the New Year’s Eve Ball. Representatives from Carnival Cruise Line and Times Square New Year’s Eve flip the giant switch that lights the New Year’s Eve Ball, accompanied by special pyrotechnic effects atop One Times Square.
6:04 p.m. to 6:06 p.m.
Good Riddance Day Highlights
The host of Times Square New Year’s Eve, Jonathan Bennett shares highlights from Good Riddance Day with the Times Square revelers from the Countdown Stage.
- Good Riddance Day is Dec. 28 in Times Square.
- Here’s how to get rid of your unwanted memories of 2021.
6:07 p.m. to 6:18 p.m.
SAFA Chinese Cultural Performance
The Sino-American Friendship Association (“SAFA”) presents a spectacular Chinese cultural performance from Henan, China to begin the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration.
The performance features Chinese martial arts, Taiji and Shaolin Kungfu, which originated from Henan, along with a Fan dance that fuses traditional Chinese fan dance with American break dance on the Countdown Stage at Duffy Island between 46th and 47th Streets.
The Chinese cultural performance concludes with red and gold pyrotechnic effects atop One Times Square.
6:25 p.m.
Times Square 2022 Hats, Mittens, Balloons and Scarves
The Times Square Alliance sanitation crew 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 balloons tied with gold mylar ribbons.
- Carnival Cruise Line is providing warm blue mittens.
- The Sino-American Friendship Association is providing beautiful red scarves.
6:57 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Hourly Kia Countdown
Jonathan Bennett returns to 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.
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.
7:01 p.m. to 7:03 p.m.
Times Square Reveler Stories
Co-Host Jeremy Hassell talks with Times Square revelers.
7:11 p.m. to 7:18 p.m.
Planet Fitness Dance Performance with Liza Koshy
Fitacular dance performance on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.
7:57 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Hourly Kia Countdown
USO Show Troupe representatives 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.
They will also read several of the Confetti Wishes to be mixed into the confetti release at midnight and share their wish for the New Year.
8:01 p.m. to 8:03 p.m.
Times Square Reveler Stories
Co-Host Jeremy Hassell talks with Times Square revelers.
8:04 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
New Year’s Eve Performance by TBD on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.
8:25p.m. to 8:31 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by Karol G
Karol G performs on the Countdown Stage.
8:57 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Hourly Kia Countdown
Co-Host Jeremy Hassell returns to 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.
He will also read several of the Confetti Wishes to be mixed into the confetti release at midnight and share his wishes for the New Year.
9:01p.m. to 9:07 p.m.
“Our Love Song”
9:08p.m. to 9:10 p.m.
Waterford Crystal Toast
9:14 p.m. to 9:28 p.m.
Musical Performance by KT Tunstall
She performs her hit songs Black Horse and The Cherry Tree, Suddenly I See and Tom Petty’song I Won’t Back Down on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.
9:37 p.m. to 9:43 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by Chloë
Chloë performs on the Countdown Stage.
9:52p.m. to 9:55 p.m.
Carnival’s “Funderstruck” Moment
9:57 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Hourly Countdown with Planet Fitness
A company spokesperson appears 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 purple and yellow confetti release and colorful pyrotechnic effects atop One Times Square.
The spokesperson 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.
10:01 p.m. to 10:03 p.m.
Times Square Reveler Stories
Co-Host Jeremy Hassell talks with Times Square revelers.
10:04 p.m. to 10:07 p.m.
Barefoot Bubbly Toast
10:43 p.m. to 10:49 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by Journey
Journey performs medley of their hit songs on the Countdown Stage.
10:57 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Hourly Kia Countdown
NYCFC team representatives 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 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 wish for the New Year.
11:01 p.m. to 11:13 p.m.
The USO Show Troupe Performance
The USO Show Troupe performs Stand By You, Empire State of Mind and Military Salute to honor our Armed Forces on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.
11:16 p.m. to 11:20 p.m.
The Associated Press Presents 2021 Year-In-Review Video Highlights
The Associated Press, the world’s oldest and largest news gathering organization, presents a news reel highlighting some of the most memorable events of 2021.
11:21 p.m. to 11:26 p.m.
Kay Jewelers New Year’s Eve Kiss
11:39 p.m. to 11:45 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by LL Cool J
LL Cool J performs medley of his hit songs on the Countdown Stage.
11:55 p.m. to 11:58 p.m.
Special Musical Performance by KT Tunstall
KT Tunstall 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 pushes the Waterford crystal button that signals the descent of the New Year’s Eve Ball, and leads the final sixty-second countdown to the New Year on the Countdown Stage.
It is his last official duty, since his term ends at midnight and NYC gets a new Mayor, Eric Adams.
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
2022 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 “2022” 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, better known as fireworks.
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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