shot-button
Ganesh Chaturthi Ganesh Chaturthi
Home > News > World News > Article > Ringing in the New Year in style

Ringing in the New Year in style

Updated on: 31 December,2023 05:24 AM IST  |  New York
Agencies |

Times Square will experience a shower of colourful confetti as the year ends

Ringing in the New Year in style

3,000 pounds of confetti will be released during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Times Square, New York, on December 31. Pic/Getty Images

Visitors to Times Square got a small preview of New York City’s famed New Year’s Eve party on Friday, as the event’s organisers heaved handfuls of coloured paper skyward in a promotional event to test their confetti. With crowds of celebrants expected to pack into Times Square for the festivities, even the smallest details can’t be overlooked, said Jeff Straus, president of Countdown Entertainment. That includes the 2-by-2 inch (5-by-5-cm) slips of paper that will flutter to the ground at the stroke of midnight on Sunday.


“This is a whole process,” Straus said. “We got to feel the confetti. We got to fluff it up. We got to make sure it’s going to float.” While the test may have been more promotional than practical, the actual New Year’s confetti release—which has been part of the event since 1992—remains a labour-intensive operation. An estimated 3,000 pounds (1,361 kg) of confetti are trucked into midtown Manhattan each year, then carried to rooftops of office buildings overlooking Times Square. About a hundred volunteer “dispersal engineers” then drop the haul on the street below to ring in the new year.


At a security briefing later Friday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said the city’s police department was prepared for throngs of spectators.“Hundreds of thousands of people will be out here lined up, and no matter how often we see it, you never get used to it, the excitement remains over and over again,” he said.


Beyond confetti, a flurry of other preparations were underway for the celebration, which runs from 6 p.m. on Sunday until after midnight. Sitting behind the “2024” light display that arrived this week, the glittering crystal ball was set to undergo its own test drop on Saturday. “Like any fine Broadway show, we rehearse everything to make sure there are no problems for opening night,” said Tom Harris, the president of the Times Square Alliance.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!

Register for FREE
to continue reading !

This is not a paywall.
However, your registration helps us understand your preferences better and enables us to provide insightful and credible journalism for all our readers.

Mid-Day Web Stories

Mid-Day Web Stories

This website uses cookie or similar technologies, to enhance your browsing experience and provide personalised recommendations. By continuing to use our website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. OK