New Year's Eve. The last night of the year, filled with anticipation and the promise of a new beginning. I've always imagined what Times Square must be like. Thousands of people, twinkling lights, descending balls and one common goal – to experience the most famous New Year's Eve celebration in the world… But what really lies behind this iconic celebration? Is it truly an unforgettable experience?
New Year's Eve celebrations in Times Square, New York
Until a million people gathers every year in the vibrant heart of New York City, Times Square, to celebrate the arrival of the new year. Together, they all set their sights on giant ball, which slowly descends from a height and symbolically Welcomes the new year. Immediately afterwards a storm of joy breaks out and confetti They start falling and dancing in the spotlight to the sounds of Frank Sinatra's legendary melody New York, New York.
A little bit of history
The history of New Year's Eve celebrations in Times Square dates back to the year 1904. Then came two innovations that completely transformed this intersection. The opening of the city's first subway line and the first-ever New Year's Eve celebration right here in Times Square. This celebration was to commemorate the official opening of the new headquarters of the New York Times newspaper in the building Times Tower. This impressive building, at the time the tallest in New York (including underground floors), was the center of the celebrations.
First celebrations
The all-day street festival has come to a close fireworks fired from the base of the tower to the midnight cheer of more than 200.000 visitors. However, two years later the city banned fireworks, and therefore in 1907 for the first time from the mast of today's One Times Square building A large luminous ball descended. It was made of iron and wood, decorated a hundred light bulbs. On average, it measured about meter and a half and weighed over 300 kg. Just the giant ball has become symbol of New Year's Eve in Times Square and has changed several times over the years.
In the year 1920 The original ball was replaced by a new one made entirely of iron. In 1955 It was replaced with an aluminum one and remained unchanged until the 1980s. Between 1981 and 1988, it even had a green stem added, transforming into an apple for the "I Love New York" marketing campaign. The traditional glowing white ball then returned. To mark the centennial of the Times Square Ball Drop tradition, in 2007, Waterford Crystal and Philips Lighting created a magnificent crystal LED ball. Thanks to the latest technology, its brightness and color options have been increased.
Present
Now it is Big Ball at One Times Square permanently and visitors to New York can see it from January to December. It weighs almost six tons, on average it measures over 3.5 meters. It consists of 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles, which illuminates more than 32,000 LEDs, capable of displaying a palette of more than 16 million vibrant colors and billions of patterns, creating a spectacular kaleidoscope effect on the One Times Square building.
But why a falling ball?
The actual idea of a ball "dropping" to signal the passage of time dates back long before New Year's Eve was even celebrated in Times Square. The first "time ball" was installed at the top of the English Royal Observatory in Greenwich in 1833. This ball fell every afternoon at one o'clock, allowing the captains of nearby ships to accurately set their chronometers.
It is believed that after the success in Greenwich, around 100,000 were installed around the world. 150 public time orbs, although few of them survive and are still in operation. The tradition is carried on today at places like the United States Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., where the time ball descends from its mast every day at noon—and, of course, once a year in Times Square, where it marks the stroke of midnight not for a few ship captains but for more than a billion people watching around the world.
What New Year's Eve in Times Square really looks like
When I was looking for information about how the New Year's celebrations in Times Square are going and what I should prepare for, I didn't find much.
I came across several parties in bars and restaurants where there is an entrance fee, but it doesn't guarantee you'll see, What's happening in Times Square. Watch out for them.
On official website then you will find the program and the basic questions and answers.
Times Square is completely closed all New Year's Eve, from 42nd Street to 56th Street. Both Broadway and Seventh Avenue.
When to come to Times Square
If you want to get here and be close to the action, get there as early as possible. Even though the square is closed according to the official website opens at three in the afternoon, the first impatient people gather here in the morning. Access is from Sixth and Eighth Avenues from 49th, 52nd, and 54th Streets.
Reserved for visitors restricted areas. It's not like there's a huge crowd in the square, head to head. But there are "pen" areas that are gradually filling up.
The rule is that whoever comes first gets closer. And also that if someone opens their "playpen"„ leaves, loses his place and it can't come back. At least that's what everyone was talking or writing about when I was looking for information.
What can you bring?
Mainly warm clothes, If it should rain, wear water- and wind-resistant clothing and a hat. Not allowed bring backpacks and large bags, umbrellas, garden or folding chairs, picnic blankets, alcohol. Drinking alcohol in public is illegal in New York City. and the police will confiscate the alcohol. All items brought in are checked before entry.
During the celebrations here there are no food stalls available. You can't even jump outside your "playpen" So you definitely can too snack and plenty of soft drinks.
Toilets
But what I think is hell is that in Times Square there are no toilets available during New Year's Eve. Honestly, I don't know how those people can last there all day.
But from what I've seen on YouTube, a lot of visitors solve this by wearing an adult diaper. They also say that as the night goes on, pee corners form, where people just jump into a corner somewhere... Thanks, but no.
This was one of two reasons I missed the New Year's Eve celebrations in Times Square. discouraged. The second reason was that I would have to spend almost the whole day waiting here.
But still, it's packed every year and the organizers are talking up to a million visitors. It will definitely be an experience.
How I enjoyed New Year's Eve and New Year's Day in New York
Although I originally dreamed of spending New Year's Eve in Times Square, after I found out how crazy it is here, I plans changed quickly. I didn't want to kill the day by sitting somewhere in a "playpen" and waiting for midnight. Even though I had a busy schedule from 6 pm. I enjoyed the whole day in a completely different way.
The best start to the day
I started to the "top of the world"„ – on the lookout Empire State Building. I arrived in the morning, so there weren't many people here yet. No queue, no crowding at the viewpoints of the vast city panorama.
Then I went to the observation deck cruise around part of Manhattan. It was quite cold, but I didn't give up my place on the deck with a view in all directions.
I was a little cold at the end, but I warmed up with coffee and moved to Battery Park. Here I boarded another boat, this time heading Libery island a Statue of Liberty.
Midnight at home in the Czech Republic
After returning to Manhattan, my steps led me to the financial district. First to Wall Street, where I am in front of the building Stock exchanges stopped by a beautiful Christmas tree. It could easily rival the one at Rockefeller Center.
I arrived at the place before six o'clock. World Trade Center. Back home in the Czech Republic, midnight was approaching. Even though I'm thousands of kilometers away from family and friends, the first New Year's call home and a wish for a happy new year right after midnight is simply a tradition.
Next steps in Manhattan
There was still plenty of time left until midnight in New York, so I continued on my way. I passed Carrie Bradshaw's house from Sex and the City, Friends house (in which nothing from Friends ever took place), I didn't miss a single Ghostbusters headquarters.
I rested for a while in Washington Square Park, admired another Christmas tree, and then walked down Fifth Avenue toward Times Square. Between 22nd and 23rd Streets, I passed the famous "iron"„ Flatron Building and switched to Broadway.
Madness around Times Square
It led directly to Times Square. Or rather to 42nd Street, from where everything was already closed. Here I saw for the first time that it was really a massacre. Everything guarded, secured, thousands of people everywhere. I went to Eighth Avenue and after that I continued towards Central Park, where he was going midnight fireworks.
Every time I passed another street, I tried to peek in to see what Times Square looked like, what was going on there. Even if there was a chance to go there, I would go. It was already around ten o'clock, so I could have stayed there for two hours. Well, there wasn't.
There was a crazy line at the point where you could still get to Times Square, where I wouldn't even think of waiting. I got to the end, at 57th Street. This is where the Times Square closure ends. But to avoid any more crowds, they cleverly parked here large garbage trucks, so you couldn't really see anything at all. It actually lined the entire road and blocked the view in every street.
The only thing that could be seen was the familiar giant glittering ball. It was shining in the distance. And actually, seeing the ball on New Year's Eve was what I was all about. It would have been even better to see it come down the pole in the last minute of the year and count down the final seconds with a full Times Square, but even so... I was satisfied. And what came next was even better.
Midnight is approaching.
Sometime after eleven o'clock, I turned my back on Times Square and headed with other people to Central Park. Here he should have been on the level fireworks around 70th street. And yes, it is.
The clock struck midnight and it began wonderful performance. Shining skyscrapers behind, a magnificent fireworks display before our eyes. This dazzling spectacle took place 20 minutes. I really enjoyed every moment. I was moved, and actually, when I think back on it, I'm moved again. Just a feeling, who fulfilled his dream and experienced New Year's Eve in New York.