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Here's how and where to watch the ball drop on New Year’s Eve 2023

Happy (almost) 2024!
Times Square New Year's Eve 2023 Celebration
Revelers celebrate New Year’s Eve in Times Square on Jan. 1, 2023, in New York City.Alexi Rosenfeld / Getty Images
/ Source: TODAY

Happy New Year's Eve!

Thousands of people will attend the Times Square ball drop in New York City on New Year's Eve, but millions more will tune in at home for the festivities to watch the clock strike midnight.

While cities across the world host their own local ceremonies, New York City continues to hold one of the biggest countdowns to witness the Times Square New Year's Eve ball drop, whether attending in person or hosting a party at home.

The ball drop tradition debuted in 1907. More than a century later, revelers don't have to gather in Times Square to witness the iconic moment. The ball drop is broadcast and livestreamed on several New Year's Eve shows and programs.

This year, Ali Krieger, Kelley O’Hara and Midge Purce from the 2023 National Women's Soccer League champion team NJ/NY Gotham FC will push a crystal button that starts the official drop.

Here's how to watch the ball drop, leaving 2023 behind and ushering in the start of 2024.

Times Square New Year's Eve 2024 Webcast

This commercial-free live webcast will stream hours of events leading up to the famous 11:59 p.m. ball drop.

Co-hosted by "Mean Girls" star Jonathan Bennett and Jeremy Hassell, the event will feature musical performances by Flo Rida, Paul Anka and a Chinese cultural performance.

How to watch: The free livestream begins at 6 p.m. ET. Watch here.

Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2024

This annual New Year's Eve tradition features host Ryan Seacrest in his 19th year at the helm, with a variety of artists performing across the globe. Rita Ora will co-host, and Jeannie Mai will lead the festivities in Los Angeles.

Performers include LL Cool J, Megan Thee Stallion, Jelly Roll, Sabrina Carpenter and Tyla from Times Square, while Cardi B, Renee Rapp, Green Day and more join from L.A. The event is also going global with K-pop girl group NewJeans performing from South Korea and Ivy Queen from Puerto Rico.

How to watch: The show starts at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

New Year’s Eve Live With Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen

Dynamic duo Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper are back for their 7th year as co-hosts of CNN's annual New Year's Eve show. CNN correspondents will report on the revelry across the country, from Florida to New Mexico.

After 12:30 p.m., Sara Sidner and Cari Champion will take over hosting duties to ring in 2024 for the Central Time Zone.

Performers for New Year's Eve Live include Enrique Iglesias, Maroon 5, the Jonas Brothers, Darius Rucker and more. No word yet on if one of the main forms of entertainment — Cooper and Cohen's drunken antics — will return after 2022's sober festivities.

How to watch: The show starts at 8 p.m. on CNN. Viewers can stream the event on CNN Max.

New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash

For non-Times Square centric celebrations, the Jack Daniel's New Year's Eve Live event is set in Nashville with a free event at the main stage of the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park.

Headliners include Thomas Rhett, Elle King, Lainey Wilson and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Blake Shelton, Morgan Wallen, Trace Adkins and more will also perform.

The special will show the Times Square ball drop as well as the music note drop from Tennessee at midnight CT.

How to watch: The show starts at 7:30 p.m. ET on CBS and can be streamed live for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers.

Cynthia Erivo & Friends: A New Year’s Eve Celebration

For a Broadway-themed New Year's Eve celebration, Cynthia Erivo's show from the Kennedy Center follows her musical journey from "The Color Purple" to Motown. Broadway stars Ben Platt and Joaquina Kalukango will perform as featured guests.

How to watch: The show will premiere at 8 p.m. on PBS and stream on PBS.org and the PBS App.

Fun facts about the New Year's Eve ball drop

To impress your guests, here's some fun facts about the famous New Year's Eve tradition, according to the official Times Square website.

  • The ball is 12 feet in diameter and weighs 11,875 pounds.
  • It's covered in more than 2,600 crystal triangles, with each sparkling pattern representing a different virtue: love, wisdom, happiness, goodwill, harmony, serenity, kindness, wonder, fortitude and imagination.
  • The New Year's Eve ball first fell in 1907, welcoming 1908, though Times Square celebrations began at least three years earlier.
  • The first ball was made of iron, wood and lightbulbs.
  • The ball was lowered every year since except for 1942 and 1943, during the wartime "dimout" of New York City, a method of defense during World War II.
  • "Time-balls" precede the Times Square New Year's Eve tradition. Balls have been "dropped" since at least the 1830s at England’s Royal Observatory at Greenwich, where a ball dropped at a set hour every day for captains to set their navigation tools.