Your guide to NYC's 2025 New Year's Eve ball drop countdown in Times Square
NEW YORK -- New York City is getting ready to ring in New Year's Eve 2025 with the ball drop countdown in Times Square.
The New Year's Eve weather forecast calls for heavy rain, and it could be the wettest celebration in recent years. By New Year's Day, skies will clear and temperatures will cool down for the rest of the week.
We have everything to know about how to watch the ball drop in person or anywhere in the world, and what to know about getting around the city.
Where does the ball drop in Times Square?
Times Square is located along Broadway in Manhattan's Theater District, between the Port Authority Bus Terminal and Rockefeller Center. The New Year's Eve ball sits on a flagpole atop the One Times Square building, once known as the Times Tower.
Spectator checkpoints are set up at 49th, 52nd and 56th streets on Sixth and Eighth avenues. Organizers say the best viewing spots are along Broadway from 43rd to 50th streets, and Seventh Avenue as far north as 59th Street.
Visitors are encouraged to arrive by mass transit, and the MTA says there will be extra subway service into the evening and after midnight on the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, C, D, G, L, N, Q and R lines and the 42nd Street S train shuttle. The agency says A trains will run express until 2:45 a.m., and buses in Midtown will be subject to detours and street closures.
See more details, like what items are allowed and where to eat or stay around the area, here.
Who is performing at the 2025 Times Square ball drop?
This year's lineup features performances from Carrie Underwood, the Jonas Brothers, Mark Ambor, Rita Ora, TLC and more. Country singer Mickey Guyton will perform the special tradition of singing John Lennon's "Imagine" moments before the ball drops.
Meanwhile on CBS, the "New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash" will have performances from Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, Lainey Wilson, Miranda Lambert, Post Malone and several other country stars.
How can you watch the ball drop on New Year's Eve?
For those looking to avoid the crowd and watch from somewhere more comfortable, the festivities can also be found online.
The Times Square Alliance will have a live feed from the Crossroads of the World from 6 p.m. to 12:15 a.m., and CBS News New York will cover the countdown to midnight starting at 10:30 p.m. Watch live here.
"Nashville's Big Bash" kicks off at 8 p.m.
When does the ball drop?
The ball drops at the stroke of midnight at 12:00 a.m. E.T., ushering in the new year. The ball drop tradition dates back to 1907.
Spectator entrances open at 3 p.m. before the ball is lit up and lifted into place at 6 p.m. The 60-second countdown starts at 11:59 p.m., when the confetti will fly.
Once the crowd is cleared, a massive cleanup effort begins. The Sanitation Department will be standing by to remove the more than 1 ton of confetti.
How can you avoid New Year's Eve traffic in NYC?
Whether you're traveling to the ball drop or celebrating elsewhere, drivers should expect heavy traffic across Manhattan.
The NYPD says the streets around Times Square will be closed from West 34th Street to West 59th Street between Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue starting at 4 a.m.
Once again, officials say mass transit will be the best way to get around.
