New York’s New Year’s Eve crowd braves frigid weather for Times Square Ball Drop to ring in 2026

New Year’s Eve in New York’s Times Square. Photo Credit: ABC, José A. Alvarado Jr.

On December 31, 2025, New Year’s Eve crowds gathered in New York’s Times Square where they braved the cold and frigid weather to witness the iconic Ball Drop to ring in 2026.

Eric Adams exits as New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani is sworn in

Outgoing New York City Mayor Eric Adams pushed the button to begin the ball-drop’s one minute countdown in Times Square, where he ended his mayoral term in the same place where he was sworn in four years ago.

Zohran Mamdani was just sworn in as the 112th New York City (NYC) Mayor.

Constellation Ball

This year’s Constellation Ball was unveiled back in November of 2025, and it is the ninth iteration since the tradition began in 1907.

This one was the largest New Year’s Eve Ball yet… it measured 12.5 feet in diameter, weighed 12,350 pounds, and it was adorned with 5,280 crystals and LED light pucks, nearly double the number of crystals as the previous Ball.

Performances for ‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2026’

“Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2026” (NYRE) was hosted by Ryan Seacrest and Rita Ora (for the third time) from Manhattan’s One Times Square. It featured live entertainment performances with internationally-recognized recording artists covering all genres of music.

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Diana Ross performed a medley of her classic hits, which included “I’m Coming Out,” “The Boss,” “Upside Down,” “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “Tomorrow.”

K-pop all-girl group Le Sserafim went on to perform “Spaghetti” and “Crazy.”

Swedish pop superstar Robyn performed her signature tune “Dancing On My Own,” as well as “Call Your Girlfriend,” and her newer single “Dopamine,” which was sheer bliss.

Grammy award-winning country group Little Big Town brought their velvet harmonies to Times Square as they sang the Taylor Swift-penned “Better Man,” their Top 10 single “Boondocks” and the festive “Wine Beer Whiskey.”

Singer-songwriter Maren Morris belted out her hits “The Bones,” “80s Mercedes” and “The Middle.”

An added treat was hearing 4 Non Blondes perform their timeless classic “What’s Up,” which recently saw a resurgence on TikTok (as a mashup with Nicki Minaj’s “Beez in the Trap”).

Tones And I sang John Lennon’s iconic “Imagine,” which was quite stirring yet fitting (a few minutes prior to the Ball Drop), in a poignant interpretation that resonated with all.

R&B superstar Ciara energized the Times Square audience with a high-octane medley that was comprised of “Level Up,” “The Party Has Just Begun,” “Goodies,” “Oh,” “Low,” and “1, 2 Step,” with portions mashed up with “Nice n’ Sweet” and “Whatz Up, Whatz Up,” as she was backed by a full dance ensemble.

Another neat moment was when Ryan Seacrest hosted a rapid-fire game of Wheel of Fortune live in Times Square.

The Verdict

Despite the freezing cover weather in Times Square, the turnout was massive this year (with people gathering from all over the globe), and the live entertainment was high-energy and top-notch.

This marked the end of Eric Adams’ tenure as mayor, and the beginning of Zohran Mamdani’s term. The night ended with some light snowfall.

Please Note: This journalist was credentialed by the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment’s (MOME) to cover the 2026 New York’s Eve Time Square Ball Drop in-person.