NEW YORK – It’s a New Year’s Eve tradition in New York -- the annual Time Square Ball Drop. Here’s how to watch it online.
The annual event is still taking place amid the coronavirus pandemic, but it’ll be without crowds -- so the only real way to enjoy it is by watching it at home.
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Each year, millions of eyes from all over the world are focused on the sparkling Waterford Crystal Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball. At 11:59 p.m., the Ball begins its descent as millions of voices unite to countdown the final seconds of the year, and celebrate the beginning of a new year full of hopes, challenges, changes and dreams.
This year’s event will be a virtual viewing experience. Here’s what you need to know.
2021 Time Square Ball Drop -- how to watch live
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.
Everyone everywhere can start the festivities today and enter a virtual world of Time Square filled with games, music, and art. Then, on December 31st, viewers can tune in for a live broadcast where they can choose from multiple camera feeds to direct their own New Year’s Eve show
Viewers from around the world can tune into various live broadcasts of the iconic Times Square ball drop celebration starting at 6 p.m. ET Thursday, Dec. 31, on the VNYE app or on the NYE 2021 website. The feeds include a live show, ball cam, uptown cam, Times Square cam, and countdown and downtown cam.
Mobile Streaming (FREE):
Live stream it in the video player below starting around 6 p.m.
Time Square Ball Drop live schedule
6:00 p.m. to 6:03 p.m.Lighting and Raising the Times Square New Year’s Eve BallThe 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 PorterBilly Porter will perform For What It’s Worth on the Countdown Stage.
6:57 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.Hourly Kia CountdownAs we approach the New Year, Kelly Osbourne will 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. 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.
7:01 p.m. to 7:03 p.m.Good Riddance Day HighlightsThe 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 PerformanceThe USO Show Troupe performs a Military Salute, Stars and Stripes, and Empire State of Mind to honor our military service members on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.
7:58 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.Hourly Kia CountdownAs we approach the New Year, Cristina Lucas from the USO Show Troupe 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. 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.
8:01 p.m. to 8:11 p.m.Musical Performance by Andra DayAndra 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 AllenJimmie Allen performs a medley of Make Me Want To and Freedom Was A Highway on the Countdown Stage.
8:45 p.m. to 8:57 p.m.Musical Performance by Gloria GaynorGloria 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 Kia CountdownAs we approach the New Year, Juanita Erb from the NYU Langone Health Vaccine Center will appear 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. 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.
9:39 p.m. to 9:45 p.m.ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by Machine Gun KellyMachine Gun Kelly performs a medley of of My Ex’s Best Friend and Bloody Valentine on the Countdown Stage.
9:58 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.Hourly Kia Countdown with Planet FitnessAs we approach the New Year, Jonathan Bennett will appear at the Countdown Stage to share Planet Fitness’ wish for the 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. 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.
10:01 p.m. to 10:06 p.m.Planet Fitness Performance by The Waffle CrewThe 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 AnittaAnitta performs a medley of Downtown, Me Gusta, Vai Malandra, and Bola Rebola 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 PorterCyndi Lauper & Billy Porter perform a medley of True Colors and Hope on the Countdown Stage.
10:58 p.m. to 11:01 p.m.Hourly Kia Countdown with Raúl de MolinaAs 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 PitbullPitbull performs a medley of Rock and Roll All Nite, Don’t Stop the Party, I Believe That We Will Win, and Give Me Everything 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 LopezJennifer 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 DayAndra Day performs John Lennon’s Imagine on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.
11:59 p.m.The Sixty-Second Kia Countdown to MidnightThe 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 BallThe 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 Day2021 SignAt 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 EffectsThe 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.