The Big Apple will be ringing in the new year in grand style once again, and the celebrations will be aired live on television and the internet.
Before we say “Adieu!” to last year’s celebration, we uncovered some fascinating facts regarding the ritual of watching the ball drop, since no matter how you do it, there’s more to it than meets the eye.
1. The New York Times conducted the inaugural rooftop celebration atop One Times Square, a fireworks display, in 1904 to inaugurate its new offices in Times Square. However, the inaugural New Year’s Eve ball drop ceremony atop One Times Square didn’t happen until 1907.
2. Seven different iterations of the Ball have been created to herald the arrival of a new year since 1907.
3. The original Ball had one hundred light bulbs, weighed seven hundred pounds, and was constructed of wood and iron. The Ball now weighs 11,875 pounds and has a diameter of 12 feet.
4. As a result of the “dimout” of lights in New York City during the war, the yearly ceremony was halted from 1942 to 1943. Still, others flocked to Times Square to hear the chimes of the midnight hour, which were followed by a minute of quiet.
5. 2,688 triangles made of Waterford Crystal, ranging in size from 4 ¾ inches to 5 ¾ inches in length per side, were used for the 2021 celebration ball.
6. Spectacular kaleidoscopic effects can be created atop One Times Square by displaying the Ball’s pallet of over 16 million brilliant colors and billions of patterns.
7. During the New Year’s. Eve celebration, almost one ton of confetti is dropped in Times Square.
8. With a combined weight of 1,130lbs, the gigantic numbers are 7 feet tall.
We hope that the New Year brings everyone good health and happiness.