Read our Privacy noticeThe iconic New Year’s Eve ball drop is getting an encore in 2026 — but this time on the Fourth of July. Tourists and New York City locals will take over the streets of Times Square at midnight on January 1, to watch the multi-colored LED crystal ball, also known as the Constellation Ball, drop, in celebration of the new year. So America250 — the nonpartisan organization that commemorates the 250th anniversary — is launching a second ball drop July 3. But a preview will be taking place in just a few days in Times Square. At 12:04 a.m. on January 1 — four minutes after the regular New Year’s Eve Ball drop — the Times Square Ball will be relit in red, white, and blue, with an America250 design and rise above the illuminated “2026” numbers.

Source: The Times December 27, 2025 08:03 UTC