Etchings on the Attic Wall

Looking for somewhere different and memorable to celebrate New Year’s this year!  Then you have got to head over to Times Square in New York.  It is the most famous and biggest New Year’s Eve party in the nation.  The celebration is most notable for the large ball atop One Times Square that descends the flag pole slowly over the last minute until midnight.  The ball is about 12 feet in diameter and covered in over 2,000 crystals and over 32,000 LED lights which can produce 16.7 million colors.  The ball first made its appearance in 1907 and has been part of the celebration ever since.  And, for the first time ever, the ball now remains up all year round about halfway up the pole (as of 2009).

Upwards of one million people manage to cram into Times Square to watch the ball drop.  So, to be part of the action, make sure you are staying at one of the hotels in the area.  Police check for this before allowing you into the square.  Once you are in, get ready to party.  The festivities are broadcast all over the nation on most major networks.  The most famous broadcast is Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.  There are also parties all over the place including musical performances, confetti, pyrotechnic displays, balloons, and more.  Several restaurants in the area have celebrations with special menus and live bands.  There are also plenty of clubs with before and after parties (i.e. Eden Rooftop, Iridium Jazz Club, The View, Tonic).  Once you enter the square, though, make sure you are already dressed warmly and you have your own food/drink with you.  If you leave the square, the police may not let you back in.  And get there EARLY for a good viewing area – the square fills up from front to back.  The later you arrive, the further back you’ll be.

When you are in the square, they will certainly keep you entertained.  Giant video screens show sound effects and music with about 30 seconds of video at the end of each hour.  Later, officials move through the crowd handing out American flags, pom-poms, disposable cameras, balloons, and confetti bags.  You also will possibly be picked up by the live video feed which is sent to broadcasters around the world.  Be sure to check footage later   By the time you get down to the last hour there is continuous music and singing.  And, of course, after the ball drops (the big moment), there are pyrotechnic displays and lots of confetti!

If you want to offer your holiday wishes, head over to the Times Square Information Center.  You can write your wishes on a piece of paper which will then be displayed on the Confetti Wishing Wall and then included in the confetti that gets dumped on the crowd during the celebration.

So, book your hotel accommodations early to make sure you can share in this unique experience with one million of your closest friends!