New Year’s Eve Crowds Brave Cold at NYC’s Times Square to Ring in 2026

Big crowds braved the cold on Wednesday for one of New York City’s most popular annual events: the New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square.

The celebration draws spectators from around the world to don novelty glasses, toss confetti and sing along to “Auld Lang Syne” and “New York, New York” at the stroke of midnight. The cold and blustery weather was not enough to keep them away.

“Everywhere is freedom,” said Soyeon Kim, 26, who journeyed from South Korea to see the year change. “It’s so nice, the decorations, the colors, the lights.”

But as any host knows, throwing a party is a lot of work. And the ball drop is a major logistical undertaking for the city, especially for the veritable army of police officers responsible for providing security for it.

“Rest assured, the entirety of the New York City Police Department is going to be working between Dec. 31 and Jan. 1,” Jessica Tisch, the police commissioner, said at a news conference on Tuesday. “This is the biggest event of the year.”

Ms. Tisch said the department does not release the exact number of officers deployed on New Year’s Eve. But she said the detail is bigger than last year, although there are no credible threats to the event.

The festivities are an all-day affair for the organizers, the police and the revelers themselves, some of whom line up early in the day to secure a good spot in Times Square.

Richard Tong was born in New York but had never been to Times Square for New Year's Eve. A recent heart attack made him think: This is the year.

“It woke me up and made me realize, this is a bucket list thing to do,” said Mr. Tong, who lives in Bensonhurst and recently retired after 21 years in the Army.

Street closures in Midtown began at 4 a.m. on Wednesday, when Seventh Avenue was closed to cars between 42nd and 48th Streets and those side streets were shut between Sixth and Eighth Avenues.

Those closures spread out over a wider and wider area of Midtown until 4 p.m., leaving the city’s symbolic heart largely car-free and packed with revelers eager to put 2025 behind them.

“I honestly think it was a bunch of ups and downs,” was how Aislynn Fitzpatrick, 19, of Danbury, Conn., summed up the year. “But I also think that there was a lot of growth this year, and I can’t wait to see what next year brings me.”

This year, New Year’s Eve holds an extra layer of meaning for New York City. When the clock strikes midnight, Zohran Mamdani will be sworn in as mayor, bringing an end to the administration of Mayor Eric Adams.

Mr. Adams, a former police officer, used Tuesday’s news conference to issue one of several public farewells to New Yorkers.

“It has been an honor to serve and a great responsibility to look after the safety and well being of so many New Yorkers and businesses,” he said. “I am humbled to have served this city.”

Nate Schweber and Sean Piccoli contributed reporting.

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