After the crystal ball drops on New Year鈥檚 Eve in New York City, it will rise again, sparkling in red, white and blue to usher in 2026 and kick off for the nation鈥檚 .
The patriotic touches at this year’s Times Square gathering, including a second confetti drop, will offer an early glimpse of what鈥檚 ahead: hundreds of events and programs, big and , planned nationwide to mark the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
鈥淚鈥檓 telling you right now, whatever you鈥檙e imagining, it鈥檚 going to be much more than that,鈥� said Chair Rosie Rios, who oversees the bipartisan commission created by Congress in 2016 to organize the semiquincentennial anniversary. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be one for the ages, the most inspirational celebration this country and maybe the world has ever seen.鈥�
Rios and her group worked with the Times Square Alliance business district and One Times Square, the building from where the ball is dropped, to make the changes to this year’s ceremonies. They’re also planning a second ball drop event on July 3, the eve of the nation’s birthday, 鈥渋n the same beautiful style that Times Square knows how to do it,” Rios said.
It will mark the first time in 120 years there will be ball drop in Times Square that doesn’t occur on New Year’s Eve, she said.
A New Year鈥檚 Eve ball was first dropped in Times Square in 1907. Built by a young immigrant metalworker named Jacob Starr, the 700-pound (318-kilogram), 5-foot- (1.5-meter-) diameter ball was made of iron and wood and featured 100 25-watt light bulbs. Last year, the Constellation Ball, the ninth and largest version, was unveiled. It measured about 12 feet (3.7 meters) in diameter and weighs nearly 12,000 pounds (5,400 kilograms).
The only years when no ball drop occurred were 1942 and 1943, when the city instituted a nightly 鈥渄imout鈥� during World War II to protect itself from attacks. Crowds instead celebrated the new year with a moment of silence followed by chimes rung from the base of One Times Square.
This year, the stroke of midnight will also mark the official launch of America Gives, a national service initiative created by America250. Organizers hope to make 2026 the largest year of volunteer hours ever aggregated in the country.
On the following day, America250 will participate in the New Years Day Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, with a float themed 鈥淪oaring Onward Together for 250 Years.” It will feature three larger-than-life bald eagles representing the country鈥檚 past, present and future.
鈥淲e want to ring in this new year from sea to shining sea. What better way to think about it than going from New York to California,鈥� Rios said. 鈥淭his has to be community-driven, this has be grassroots. We鈥檙e going from Guam to Alaska, from Fairbanks to Philadelphia, and everything in between.鈥�
President Donald Trump has also announced the 鈥淔reedom 250鈥� initiative to coordinate additional events for the 250th anniversary.
Rios said she sees the wide range of celebrations and programs planned for the coming months, from large fireworks displays and statewide potluck suppers to student contests and citizen oral histories, as an opportunity to unite a nation.
鈥淚f we can find something for everyone … having those menus of options that people can pick and choose how they want to participate,” she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how we鈥檙e going to get to engaging 350 million Americans.鈥�
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