NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Rain could not stop nearly 1 million people from packing into Times Square on Tuesday night to witness the steadfast tradition of the New Year’s Eve ball drop to ring in 2025.
Attendees had to leave backpacks, large bags, coolers, chairs, alcohol and umbrellas at home—despite the rainy forecast. Ponchos and raincoats were visible as heavy periods of rain poured down on the Crossroads of the World, but so was the event’s famed confetti as people danced and celebrated.
Despite the weather, spectators told 1010 WINS that they could not imagine being anywhere else. Michelle from the Bronx has been coming to Times Square every year since 2010 and said it would not be the same if she was watching from home.
“I love the excitement,” she said.
Brittany and Jodie Roberts came to celebrate 2025 in Times Square—and make their first visit to NYC—all the way from Washington state, and they said they were planning to move forward with some different resolutions.
“My resolution for 2025 is to find peace. Inner peace,” Brittany said.
“My goal is to read two books,” Jodie countered. “I’m a firefighter so I don’t read much.”
Katie and Lily from Indiana also traveled across the country for the New Year’s Eve celebration, and they told 1010 WINS that they are hoping 2025 will provide them the opportunity to unwind more.
“I just hope to prioritize relaxing more,” Katie said. “I’m a full time student and I work full time, so it’s kind of hard.”
“Yeah relaxation definitely,” Lily added. “My boss won’t like it but I definitely want to work less.”
To accommodate the massive group of New Yorkers and visitors, the streets surrounding Times Square began closing at 4 a.m. on Tuesday, and by 11 a.m., the entire area of 57th Street to 42nd Street between Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue was restricted.
The streets were closed to the NYPD’s discretion, and the department was out and present with ramped up security.
Spectators were allowed to start filing into the ball drop viewing area at 3 p.m. through designated checkpoints, including those at 49th Street, 52nd Street, 56th Street and on both Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue.
The ball drop—a New York City tradition dating back to 1907—was extra luminescent with 2,688 new crystal triangles adorning the famed sphere. It was the first time in 10 years that all the crystals were replaced. The crystals were designed and installed by New York company Gillindar Glass.
“With the design of the glass and how we have the different logos and prismatics in that, it’s really going to create a cool illumination from the ball in different dimensions of glass and coloration utilizing that LED display,” the company’s vice president of sales and marketing Christina Jansure told 1010 WINS
