Overview
- At about 12:04 a.m., the Ball was relit in a red, white and blue America250 design and rose above the “2026” numerals, accompanied by a new “America Turns 250” video, a 2,000‑pound post‑midnight confetti release, and a pyro finale set to Ray Charles’ “America the Beautiful.”
- Organizers confirmed the Ball will drop again on July 3, 2026, marking the first time the Times Square Ball descends outside New Year’s Eve to anchor semiquincentennial Independence Day observances.
- The event launched America Gives, a national service initiative from America250 that aims to aggregate a record year of volunteer hours in 2026.
- This year’s Constellation Ball is the ninth and largest iteration, a Waterford crystal sphere about 12.5 feet in diameter with 5,280 crystals and an overall weight near 12,350 pounds.
- The NYPD deployed additional anti‑terrorism measures, including mobile screening teams, with Commissioner Jessica Tisch noting there was no specific threat.