Time Square's New Year's Eve preparations are in full swing as rapper Pitbull assisted in unveiling the New Year's Eve ball last Friday, a geodesic sphere enveloped in 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles and illuminated by more than 32,000 LED lights, reports the USA Today. Marking a pivotal moment this year, the ball, which weighs a hefty 11,875 pounds and spans 12 feet in diameter, will be making its final descent from its current design atop One Times Square before being retired and replaced next year.
Despite a looming rainy forecast for New Year's Eve by AccuWeather meteorologists, celebrations are unlikely to be affected. As tradition goes, the ball will start its 60-second descent at 11:59 p.m. next Tuesday, December 31st, symbolizing the end of the year. An interesting tidbit shared by the New York Post noted that this year's sparkling adornments include two new crystal patterns, one honoring the legacy of One Times Square, and another The Ever Crystal design, which underscores unity and future aspirations.
This year's program features a remarkable lineup of talent including rock icons and pop stars such as Lenny Kravitz, the Jonas Brothers, and Carrie Underwood, who is set to perform a hit medley right before the ball drops. Mickey Guyton will continue the special Times Square tradition by performing John Lennon's "Imagine" as part of the proceedings, according to USA Today.
For those preferring to bask in the festivities from the comfort and dryness of their own homes, the event will be broadcast live on television and multiple streaming platforms. The Times Square official website also promises a "commercial-free, webcast coverage of the festivities leading up to the Ball Drop at midnight" that will commence at 6 p.m. on December 31, next Tuesday. For more inclusive viewing, open captions and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be provided on a YouTube livestream.
