As the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve in New York City, the iconic Times Square ball will descend in a dazzling display of red, white, and blue, heralding the arrival of 2026 and setting the stage for a series of celebrations commemorating the United States' 250th birthday.
According to ABC News, this year's festivities in Times Square, which will include an additional confetti drop, serve as a prelude to the extensive array of events and programs planned across the nation to honor the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Rosie Rios, Chair of America250, a bipartisan commission established by Congress in 2016 to orchestrate the semiquincentennial anniversary, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, Im telling you right now, whatever youre imagining, its going to be much more than that.
She added, Its going to be one for the ages, the most inspirational celebration this country and maybe the world has ever seen.
Rios and her team have collaborated with the Times Square Alliance business district and One Times Square, the building from which the ball is dropped, to implement changes to this year's ceremonies. They are also organizing a second ball drop on July 3, the eve of the nation's birthday, in the same beautiful style that Times Square knows how to do it," Rios remarked.
This event will mark a historic occasion, as it will be the first time in 120 years that a ball drop in Times Square will occur on a date other than New Year's Eve.
The tradition of the New Years Eve ball drop in Times Square dates back to 1907, when a young immigrant metalworker named Jacob Starr crafted the original 700-pound (318-kilogram), 5-foot- (1.5-meter-) diameter ball from iron and wood, adorned with 100 25-watt light bulbs. Last year saw the debut of the Constellation Ball, the ninth and largest iteration, measuring approximately 12 feet (3.7 meters) in diameter and weighing nearly 12,000 pounds (5,400 kilograms).
The only interruptions to this tradition occurred in 1942 and 1943, during World War II, when the city implemented a nightly dimout to safeguard against potential attacks, leading to a moment of silence and chimes from the base of One Times Square instead.
This year's midnight moment will also signify the official launch of America Gives, a national service initiative spearheaded by America250, with the aim of making 2026 the most significant year of volunteerism in the nation's history. The following day, America250 will make its presence felt at the New Year's Day Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, with a float themed Soaring Onward Together for 250 Years," featuring three larger-than-life bald eagles symbolizing the country's past, present, and future. Rios emphasized the nationwide scope of the celebrations, stating, We want to ring in this new year from sea to shining sea. What better way to think about it than going from New York to California.
President Donald Trump has also unveiled the Freedom 250 initiative, aimed at coordinating additional events for the 250th anniversary. Rios envisions the diverse range of celebrations and programs, from grand fireworks displays and statewide potluck suppers to student contests and citizen oral histories, as a means to bridge the political divide in the nation.
She noted, If we can find something for everyone ... having those menus of options that people can pick and choose how they want to participate," adding, Thats how were going to get to engaging 350 million Americans.
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