Times Square New Year’s Eve Complete Guide

Join a million or more of your closest friends in Times Square on New Year’s Eve for the biggest party on the planet in the greatest city in the world. Here’s your complete guide, including the minute-to-minute schedule to ring out 2017 and ring in 2018.

Weather alert

Temperatures on New Year’s Eve are expected to be in the low teens, with windchill around zero. Dress accordingly, in multiple layers, and avoid frostbite by having every body part covered.

Security alert from the NYPD

There is unprecedented security this year – in an abundance of caution – with hundreds of armed officers and undercover police strategically positioned in and around Times Square accounting for potential terror threats as well as mass shooting attempts like the one on a Las Vegas concert in October.

• Backpacks, large bags and umbrellas are banned.
• There are 12 access points for spectators to come in.
• Each one will have vaperweight dogs assigned there, and there will be heavy weapons teams.
• Once you go through there, you will proceed to the pens, and screened a second time before you are allowed to enter the pens.
• There will be heavy weapons teams, observation teams with anti-sniper capabilities, and and dogs are assigned throughout the entire viewing area.
• Once you are inside a pen, if you may leave for any reason, you will not be allowed back in.

About the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball

• For 113 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 was in 1907, and the tradition is now a universal symbol of welcoming the New Year.
• 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.

Street closings

• NYPD begins closing down access to Times Square starting at 43rd Street and Broadway, and moving north as revelers arrive. The exact times these blocks close to pedestrian and vehicular traffic depends on when the revelers begin arriving. Vehicles will most likely have difficulty traveling across town after 3:00 p.m. or earlier above 42nd Street and as far north as 59th Street.
• If you are planning to come to Times Square and join in the festivities, you are advised to enter from Sixth or Eighth Avenue. Your chance of getting a viewing spot near the Ball increases the earlier you arrive. The blocks will be closed off as they fill up northward, street-by-street, as the police deem necessary.
• Note that there are no bathroom facilities inside the cordoned area.  If you leave your spot for any reason, you forfeit your spot; NYPD will not let you back in.
• Scam alert: Avoid buying so-called All-Access passes, or Multiple Venue passes  These are most likely bogus counterfeit worthless passes which will not be honored by the NYPD.

New Year’s Eve entertainment schedule

 3:00 p.m.
The Revelers

Revelers (that means you and your million friends) start arriving. By approximately 3:00 p.m., 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, the 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.

• Street closings: NYPD begin closing down access to Times Square starting at 43rd Street and Broadway, and moving north as revelers arrive. The exact times these blocks close to pedestrian and vehicular traffic depends on when the revelers begin arriving. Vehicles will most likely have difficulty traveling across town after 3:00 p.m. or earlier above 42nd Street and as far north as 59th Street.
• If you are planning to come to Times Square and join in the festivities, you are advised to enter from Sixth or Eighth Avenue. Your chance of getting a viewing spot near the Ball increases the earlier you arrive. The blocks will be closed off as they fill up northward, street-by-street, as the police deem necessary.
• Note that there are no bathroom facilities inside the cordoned area.  If you leave your spot for any reason, you forfeit your spot; NYPD will not let you back in.

6:00 p.m. to 6:03 p.m.
Lighting and Raising the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball

The representatives of the Philips Lighting Company 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.

6:04 p.m. to 6:07 p.m.
Intro of Webcast Host

Allison Hagendorf introduces Jonathan Bennett hosting our worldwide webcast live from the Kiss Stage between 44th and 45th Streets.

6:07 p.m. to 6:21 p.m.
Sino-American Friendship Association Chinese Cultural Performance
This annual performance of the spectacular Tongliang Athletics Dragon Dance from Chongqing China begin the official Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration. The performance is on the Countdown Stage at Duffy Island between 46th and 47th Streets. The Chinese cultural performance ends with red and gold pyrotechnic effects (also known as fireworks)  atop One Times Square.

• The Tongliang Athletics Dragon Dance is the most famous Chinese dragon dance, hailing from the Tongliang District of Chongqing. This year, a 15-meter long Athletics Dragon – gold and blue in color and undertaken by eight performers – will come to life in Times Square, depicting the characteristics of “high,” “fast,” and “strong” to thrill onlookers, presented in partnership with the Sino-American Friendship Association.
• The dance is the same type performed at the Beijing Olympic games, and its movements are relatively large in magnitude, speed and difficulty. Dragon dances are often performed during the Chinese New Year to scare away evil spirits and bring in peace.

6:25 p.m.
Times Square 2018 Hats, Balloons, and Scarves

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.   They will be welcome, since temperatures are expected to be in the 20s, or even in the teens, on New Year’s Eve.  Planet Fitness is providing festive purple and yellow New Year’s Eve hats along with purple & yellow balloons tied with gold mylar ribbons. Sino-American Friendship Association is providing beautiful red scarves.

6:58 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Hourly Countdown with Steve Harvey

The TV personality appears 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 (fireworks) 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 7:16 p.m.
Performance by Andra Day

She performs two hit songs, including Stand Up For Something on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.

7:18 p.m. to 7:23 p.m.
Planet Fitness “Judgement Free” with Jenny McCarthy

She leads Revelers in a fun “Judgement Free” moment.

7:57 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Hourly Countdown with Tarana Burke

She is 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 (fireworks) atop One Times Square. She will also read several of the Confetti Wishes to be mixed into the confetti release at midnight and share her wish for the New Year.

8:02 p.m. to 8:07 p.m.
The USO Show Troupe Performance

The USO Show Troupe performs a Military Salute to honor our Armed Forces on the Countdown Stage.

8:11 p.m. to 8:23 p.m.
Musical Performance by Andy Grammer

He performs Honey, I’m Good, Good To Be Alive, and Smoke Clears on Planet Fitness Center Stage.

8:23 p.m. to 8:26 p.m.
Waterford Crystal Toast

8:33 p.m. to 8:41 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by Sugarland

The Country pop group performs a medley of their greatest hits on the Countdown Stage.

8:47 p.m. to 8:52 p.m.
Planet Fitness Presents the Kinjaz

The Kinjaz will perform their intricate choreography and creative storytelling through dance on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.

8:52 p.m. to 8:55 p.m.
Toshiba Happy New Year Message

8:55 p.m. to 8:58 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.

8:58 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Hourly Countdown with FNC’s “All-American New Year”

FNC hosts Kennedy and Jesse Watters 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, and read more of the Confetti Wishes to be mixed into the confetti release at midnight and share their wishes for the New Year.

9:02 p.m. to 9:14 p.m.
Musical Performance by Lauren Alaina

She performs her two hit songs Road Less Traveled and What Ifs plus cover of Katy Perry’s Firework on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.

9:15 p.m. to 9:18 p.m.
Barefoot Bubbly Toast

9:39 p.m. to 9:44 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by Camila Cabello

She performs medley of her hit songs on the Countdown Stage.

9:49 p.m. to 9:52 p.m.
Getting Ready For The Midnight Kiss!

Jonathan Bennett again 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.

9:57 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Hourly Countdown with Planet Fitness

Representatives from Planet Fitness are 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, and 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 10:10 p.m.
Univision’s “¡Feliz 2018!: Performance by Chyno Miranda

He performs his hit songs on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.

10:11 p.m. to 10:14 p.m.
Good Riddance Day Highlights

Allison Hagendorf will share highlights from Good Riddance Day with the Times Square revelers from the Countdown Stage.

10:26 p.m. to 10:32 p.m.
FOX New Year’s Eve Performance by TBD

TBD performs his hit songs on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.

10:38 p.m. to 10:46 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by Nick Jonas

The teen heart-throb performs a medley of his hit songs on the Countdown Stage.

10:46 p.m. to 10:49 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: American Idol Video

Ryan Seacrest introduces American Idol video on the Countdown Stage accompanied by blue and white streamers filling the sky above Times Square.

10:57 p.m. to 11:01 p.m.
Hourly Countdown with Raúl de Molina

He is 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. 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.

11:01 p.m. to 11:09 p.m.
Univision’s ¡Feliz 2018!: Performance by Leslie Grace with Play-N-Skillz

They perform together on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.

11:12 p.m. to 11:15 p.m.
The Associated Press Presents 2017 Year-End 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 2017.

11:17 p.m. to 11:22 p.m.
FOX New Year’s Eve Sing-Along Performance by Neil Diamond

The Grammy-winning star performs his hit song Sweet Caroline 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 Mariah Carey

The Grammy-winning star performs a medley of hit songs on the Countdown Stage.

11:51 p.m. to 11:58 p.m.
Special Musical Performance by Andy Grammer

He returns to the Planet Fitness Center Stage to perform Fresh Eyes and John Lennon’s Imagine.

11:59 p.m.
The Sixty-Second Countdown

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio is joined by Times Square 2018 Special Guest Tarana Burke 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
2018 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 “2018” 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.