Overview
- At approximately 12:04 a.m. on Jan. 1, the Times Square Ball will be relit in an America250 red, white and blue design with a new “America Turns 250” video, 2,000 pounds of confetti and a pyro finale set to Ray Charles’ “America the Beautiful.”
- Organizers plan a second full Ball Drop on July 3, 2026 to anchor Independence Day celebrations, the first use of the Times Square Ball outside New Year’s Eve since the tradition began in 1907.
- America250 is staging the moments with One Times Square owner Jamestown and the Times Square Alliance, leveraging recent upgrades including color‑changing 2026 numerals and the Constellation Ball.
- The New Year’s moment also launches America Gives, a national service initiative intended to make 2026 the largest year of volunteer hours recorded.
- A New York City Hall spokesperson says operational specifics for the July 3 event are still being discussed and are not yet finalized.