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Time Square New Years Ball Drop

3.6 (29 reviews)

Time Square New Years Ball Drop Photos

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Brigitte L.

In NYC celebrating our 20 year anniversary. We were in the theater district and decided to cut through TS on our way back to our hotel. Hubs recognized on the billboard that you could text your selfie and get on the Times Square T-Mobile billboard. So of course we did it and about 10 minutes later there we were. Pretty cool experience! TS is cool to experience and explore the shops however be prepared for a lot of people. Beware of the people dressed like monks walking around trying to put bracelets on your wrist -- they want money although it seems like they are only handing you a bracelet. I saw a post on this prior to our trip so I was prepared and sure enough as we were sitting there waiting for our picture to post on the billboard one walked up to us and we immediately said no.

Caricature of my husband and I on New Year's Day in NYC 2012.
Kim V.

Happy New Year! Cheers to 2025! First review of 2025. I got to experience Time Square on New Year's Eve once in 2011 going into 2012. My friend, husband, and I booked a hotel and explored NYC. The City was essentially a ghost town and closed down early due to the celebrations. We were in the surrounding area but not in the crowd where the ball was; honestly, I didn't want to be in a crowd with no bathrooms close by lol. It was fun from afar and our hotel but I probably won't do it again since everything closed down early. We did get to have dinner at the Halal Guys food truck, which was the highlight of the evening. On New Year's Day 2012, we walked around Times Square and other areas of NYC; it was busy and lively as expected. My husband and I even got a caricature done by one of the street artists! It was memorable and a good one time experience, staying in Times Square on NYE. I prefer going to Time Square on a non-holiday day though.

New York's Times Square, not NYE
Bruce K.

I am not a fan of crowds but I'm perfectly okay with watching them on TV. If I can stay awake that late, that's what I try to do every year though nothing has been the same since "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" became "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest" and I definitely tuned out after Kathy Griffin made it super weird. Other than the inane host behavior, it's fun to watch and keeping the countdown on the screen certainly helps you get hyped up for the actual drop. The ball itself is located on the roof of One TImes Square and the ball drop was first held on December 31, 1907. It's been dropped every year with the exception of wartime blackouts during WWII. At least they haven't cancelled it for COVID, though 2020-21 was closed to the general public. In 2021-22, attendance is limited, masks are required (outside!) and the technical direction was done remotely. Sigh. The New York dazzling ball is the best but it's great to see Atlanta do a Peach Drop and Charlotte raises a crown (We're the Queen City, y'all!) and in Seattle, the elevator on the Space Needle gets extra decoration and is raised. I've been to Times Square a few times - it was my 2000th review back in 2012, https://www.yelp.com/biz/times-square-new-york-2?hrid=85elJ8d44NlaQ_s01s86BQ and I was there as recently as August 2020. The last time I attended a NYE event was Boston's First Night 1986-87. Happy New Year and I wish you many Useful-Funny-Cool votes on your reviews in this coming year! [Review 16502 overall - 317 in New York - 10 of 2022.]

OMG, imagine what there homes look like
Tom G.

Ever wonder where all that confetti at Times Square comes from when the ball drops ? Well a group of volunteers of 80 to 100 people are spread across buildings and rooftops with boxes of confetti and when the ball is about to hit at 12 they tossed it out by hand. A guy name Treb Heining, has been in charge of this for the last 30 years for the Times Square Business Improvement District Association. It's takes about 3,000 pounds confetti needed to cover a dozen square blocks around Times Square and when it's windy all of midtown Manhattan can get covered. The The confetti is made out of recycled, flame-retardant, biodegradable paper just in case there a mishap with a pileup and a cigarette butt or complaints about landfills.

From "ActionKid"
Paula O.

For years, the perfect couch potato event be it home or with friends. So, is the crowd getting younger or...?

Russ L.

The ball dropped to welcome 2021 in a mostly empty Time Square to ring in the New Year. A small live crowd of first responders and essential workers were allowed to watch in a secure area.

Happy 2019!
Tred S.

Review #430 None Elite Squad Yeah. Dont know what to say... I mean it's nice to see in person but watching it on TV is just as good. New Years is a Amazing place to be for all the tourist that come... it's a place that gets so packed and has one of the most famous..wait for it ..uh huh...Poke Stops..yup..made it happen so to make it short and sweet..the only reason to come here on New Years Eve is to Spin this monumental Pokestop but guess what..I already did on Christmas Day!

Grecia P.

As for NYE, we started lining up at 49th and 8th at 1:30. The line was long and there were already people posted up at 42nd, where you can see the shows and such. If you can't get up there, you won't be able to see or hear anything but you'll still have a view of the ball drop. We were turned away at the 49th entrance because it was full after 2 hours of waiting. Annoying. So we entered at 52nd and worked our way to 49th and 7th anyways. If planning to see the ball drop, Do yourself a favor and check the weather beforehand. Wear layers and a rain poncho if it's going to be wet. You go through security checkpoints many times and they do not allow back packs and umbrellas. Prepare for many hours of standing. A hidden gem is Sbarro's on 49th -- we managed to squeeze a couple hours of waiting in there instead of outside. Was the restaurant happy? No. But we purchased food and there were many others who felt entitled enough not to. If you blink, you miss the ball drop. Keep an eye on the clock for the 60 second countdown! It was cool, but no way I'd do it again. On another note, there are no event staff. Thank your NYPD members for not only keeping us safe, but they also provide directions and information to the best of their ability.

Gatangalie S.

Happy New Year! Watching the annual ball drop with millions of people in Times Square was epic and makes me appreciate NYC even more.

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Ask the Community - Time Square New Years Ball Drop

Review Highlights - Time Square New Years Ball Drop

This year I advise you to do your research regarding the latest Covid protocols before you attend.

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Taste of Times Square - Love these street fairs.

Taste of Times Square

4.0(20 reviews)
0.0 miTheater District, Midtown West

This was a great time! My only complaints / reason I'm giving it 4 stars and not 5 are that 1. why…read morethe heck is this event on a Monday night?, 2. Love their commitment to not canceling an event but would have loved if there was a rain date rather than rain or shine, and 3. I wish they let you buy individual tickets (not in increments of 5). Yes it was rainy and yes it was crowded (c'mon, it's times square after all) but still worth the trip on a work night into the city for a good time with friends and good eats (Lolz @ my friend holding my umbrella while I scarfed down food). They sell in increments of 5, so I got 10 tickets for $10 which is what they advertised for and later went back for another 5 tickets. Most foods cost between 2-3 tickets each... to me, 10 was too few tickets and 15 was too much (thus why I would have liked to buy 10 and then get single tickets from there). If you really want to make the trip worthwhile and sample enough, go for 15. Restaurant vendors I sampled from: 1. Patzeria Perfect Pizza - Tortellini with prosciuutto in the sauce (3 tickets) 2. Schnipper's - Mac 'n Joe (3 tickets) 3. Carmine's - meatball (2 tickets) 4. The View - Swiss chard Ravioli with truffle sauce (3 tickets) 5. Crossroads - Pretzel with "gooey cheese" (3 tickets) 6. Bubba Gump Shrimp - Birthday cake dessert (1 ticket) Of all of them, I was most excited for the ravioli based on presentation but somehow ended up being my least favorite... too creamy (though I'd still want to visit that restaurant as it looks gorgeous, just would order something else). My friend and I thought the mac n joe was amazing (mac n cheese with sloppy joe) and that the pretzel w/ cheese was a great snack (mmm warm pretzel). Tortellini is one of my favorite foods in general so knew I'd like that especially with that sauce. Glad I got to finally try Carmine's- I've never made it there due to it being pricey but at least this event let me have a sample for a grand total of only 2 tickets! Hope to return next year, on a sunnier day!!

Finally came to the taste of Times Square and had a good time. I purchased 15 coupons for $15 and…read morewas able to taste a variety of dishes. The place was jam packed and I was supposed to meet some friends and was never ever to catch up with them. It's best to get their early because it was so crowded we could hardly walk in the narrow street to check out what each vendor had to offer. Since I didn't wait to catch up with my friends I just checked out the longest lines and figured the samples had to be good. I was able to sample some tacos, chicken wings, sliders and water for $15. The food was good but hard to manipulate and eat with the crowds. I wound up standing in a corner to eat my food or sitting on the sidewalk to devour my chicken wings. There were different areas of live entertainment and New Yorkers and tourists seemed to be having a great time. Next time I will come prepared and wear a small bag and get there early to check out more vendors and get more food items..

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Taste of Times Square - Crabcake Slider @Rosie O'Grady's

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Bastille Day on 60th Street - So much food!! 7/10/16

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3.8(12 reviews)
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Macarons! Baguettes! Crepes!…read more I have attended this street festival honoring Bastille Day here in NYC for many years now. The food is always terrific. The weather was sunny and beautiful out. The macarons were amazing as always. And, as always, the crowd was overbearing and annoying. Whoa! Talk about inconsiderate tourists who don't understand how to move aside or what personal space is! This street fair is always packed, and if you are the type that can't stand crowds this is not the place for you. You literally have to fight and push aside people to get from one food stand to the other. Too many people gawking at everything and taking pictures, blocking your way, but not buying anything. For the love of God, would people with kids in baby carriages please stop coming to these festivals? All they do is block up the pathways strolling along at a snails pace, or running into the back of your ankles with these over-sized rolling baby cribs. Take it onto the sidewalks already people. The rest of us would like to get by. Stop insisting on shoving your kids down our throats! Now that my rant is over, I can say I did enjoy the festival for the most part. Live music, waiter race contests, and yummy food. The crepes were awesome - I had a banana and nutella which I scarfed down instantly. Also had a steak sandwich from Bistro Chat Noir that for only $6 was a great deal, and along with a beet salad for $4 made for a nice lunch. Had the most amazing macarons from Macaron Cafe. There was a little bit of everything French here. Baquette stands, macarons, desserts and pastries, crepes, sandwiches, drinks, you name it. If you are willing to fight through the crowd and be patient you can sample some wonderful foods. Spent a few hours there and then bailed out. All in all, it is a decent festival to go to for a few hours on a nice day, sample some tasty treats, but not to spend that much more time there. Many more options on a weekend day in the city away from annoying touristy crowds.

So much fun. I forgot about this annual event. I just happened by on my way home. I'll make it a…read morepoint to go hungry next year. I never saw so much delicious food. Some stands gave free samples. You could eat your way from 5th Avenue to Lexington along 60th Street. Everyone was so nice. I saw the Fencing Group from my neighborhood. You had the balloons, food, and lots of lemonade stands. You can see by the amount of photos I took how extensive the offerings were. Something for everyone. And yes, there were plenty of fine French Pastries!! Crepes looked so delicious. To me the portion sizes were reasonably priced at most of the stands. Some high end names had stands with their usual offerings. They were overpriced as usual. I was really tempted on several occasions. I already had my carbs for the day. No food for me this year. A couple free samples filled me up. The only place I had trouble navigating the crowd was by the stage. Other than that area you could get around pretty easy. Later today it may be thick with people. If you go later good luck!! As for me, I'll be back next year to tie on the feed bag. I'm bringing lots of money and an appetite. :-)

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Bastille Day on 60th Street - 7/10/16

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Bastille Day on 60th Street - So much food!! 7/10/16

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Kids Food Festival - Cooking class

Kids Food Festival

5.0(2 reviews)
0.3 miMidtown West

**100th Review**…read more This event was scheduled to be held in late October and then Sandy happened and they postponed it to March as the entire NY was in upheaval.Had this bookmarked on my wall calender, bb calender and my gmail calender lest I forget it.The Kids Food Festival was a weekend event focusing on educating families about making balanced food choices through fun and flavorful activities. Was planning to sign up for the demo classes for easy peasy fun cooking for kids by some famous chefs/authors but decided against it at the last minute. I involve my daughter in cooking every other weekend at home.Didnt think the $40 for a 30 minute class was justified. And besides there were ton of other things to do and eat:-) We got there at 11 am on Saturday and the park was packed.Also there were a whole load of people surrounding ice skating rink as there was an ice hockey game in action.There were quite a few tents and each one giving away samples and freebies:- Horizon Organic Milk and Dairy-Chocolate Milk and Grilled Cheese Sandwich Honest Kids -Juices and Teas Creative Kitchen-They had diy aprons,chef hats, etc for $5 and a free craft station where kids use the materials provided to create anything they like Graham Crackers-New Strawberry Sandwich Crackers Light Cooking-Trail Mixes sponsored by Whole Foods Plum Foods:-itsy bitsy rice crackers etc There were couple others I cant seem to remember.They were also all giving away tattos and stickers On the stage there was a performance every half and hr.Some performances that we sat through were Karma Kids,Sprowtz, Little CLub Heads,Yo Gabba Gabba.We also sat through Josh Beckermans Foodie Magician Show.This guy is really a rock star.I hear he runs a very successful food blog too.We also witnessed Katie Workman author of mom 101 and some othere cook books in making demonstration of making tacos and edamame a fun way to involve kids in healthy eating. Overall it was a super fun event and kudos to Cooking Light for pulling this off in a big city.It was very well organized and everything seemed to be going on as per schedule which is not often witnessed at such big events.My daughter had a swell time and the message for kids to eat healthy was definitely driven well.

I volunteer for the Kids Food Fest every year, Cricket Azima, the founder does a great job at…read moreintroducing children to healthy eating and wholesome food choices. Kids participate in a super cool and free scavenger hunt where they piece together a well balanced meal by collecting stamps on a paper plate, at the end of the hunt they are awarded a goodie bag filled with yummy food samples. This year, Pure Kids, an organization created by Beecher's (think cheese) stole the show, they introduced their kid's workshop which teaches children to be food detectives, they are taught to read labels and identify the not so healthy ingredients in day to day products and foods, empowering them to make better choices on their own. The festival takes place in scenic Bryant Park and in addition to free samples from various vendors like Jarlsberg (yummy!), Kind Bar, Cuties and others, you can purchase tickets to an array of cooking classes with participating chefs from organizations like the James Beard Foundation and Whole Foods Kids. The Kids Food Fest is one NYC's best hidden gems!

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Kids Food Festival - Zoe olive oil, free sample bottle for the kiddies

Zoe olive oil, free sample bottle for the kiddies

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Goodie bags!

Big Apple BBQ Block Party - Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Beef Brisket.

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Absolutely delicious food from many great vendors. Definitely an experience that you shouldn't miss…read morewhen you are in NYC

If you love great barbecue, you need to be here. This is such a wonderful event . Award winning…read morebarbecue pit masters come to NYC from all over the country. This Big Apple BBQ Party takes place all around Madison Square Park, so as you walk around the circumference of the park, you have fabulous BBQ to enjoy. Madison Square Park is a few blocks long, at Madison Ave & 23rd Street to 26th, thru Fifth Ave, but you will usually also find more BBQ on Madison & 27-28th Streets. So there is A WHOLE LOTTA BBQ-ING GOIN' ON...and it is some of THE ABSOLUTE BEST BBQ. This year, I had some of the most delicious baby back ribs from MEMPHIS RIB CO of Mississippi (MS). Fall off the bone , perfectly WONDERFUL, ribs. That sauce...OMG, fantastic, with a perfect sweetness. THESE WERE PERFECT!! (Emoji with heart eyes) Next year, I want these delicious ribs again!! If you are planning to visit NYC, and you're a foodie, I suggest you plan your visit around the Big Apple BBQ. Check the dates on THAT WEBSITE. It is always on a weekend. I believe it is usually in JUNE. I want to attend next year, for sure! Last year was great & all the other years that I was able to attend--they were all great. My point is, this is ALWAYS A GREAT TASTING BBQ. So, try to attend, you'll be glad you did . AND--There is GREAT LIVE MUSIC, TOO!!! Free live music. Please check out the big Apple bbq website for more info. This is a fun, happy, yummy event & you should be there if you love great food & great live music. Mark your calendar....now, for next year...so you don't forget.

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Skylight Inn BBQ Pulled Pork.

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Time Square New Years Ball Drop - festivals - Updated May 2026

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