Diana Ross will be one of the stars of the New Year’s Eve party in Times Square (New York), where the traditional concerts will be followed by a tribute to the United States for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, amid waves of confetti and very cold weather.
The 81-year-old nicknamed “Queen of Motown” is the star of the celebration in the heart of Manhattan, which will also feature Swedish pop singer Robyn, country standard-bearers Maren Morris and Little Big Town, rapper Bo.B. and the young Mexican regional sensation Xavi, among others.
The party at the famous intersection of avenues to welcome the new year is one of the city’s great tourist attractions and attracts crowds, so the authorities shield the center hours before to avoid incidents and long lines form to access the square full of screens.
The sub-zero temperatures are not an obstacle for tens of thousands of people who begin to enter the venue from three in the afternoon despite harsh conditions, since there are no public toilets nor are chairs or umbrellas allowed, and if you leave your place you risk losing it.
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The climax is the 60 seconds that precede midnight, in which the famous crystal ball descends from the pole that crowns one of the skyscrapers, after which all the lights go out and a sign with the numbers of the coming year lights up while more than a ton of confetti falls.
As a curiosity, the ball that will descend today, the ninth since the tradition began in 1907, is new and very different from the wooden and metal sphere that was used at the beginning, since for the first time it has round crystals, more than 5,000, and an interactive system for its lighting.
This year, in addition, a small tribute to the United States will be included as a kickoff to its 250th anniversary, with a second wave of confetti in the colors of the American flag and the broadcast of the anthem “America the Beautiful” sung by Ray Charles.
The outgoing mayor, Democrat Eric Adams, will be in charge of pressing the button that executes the descent of the crystal ball, closing a mandate that began precisely with his inauguration at that same celebration.
His successor, fellow Democrat Zohran Mamdani, will be sworn in at a private ceremony.
The New York Police indicated yesterday Tuesday that there are no specific threats against the event, which represents the most complex operation of the year, but security has been increased, with a greater deployment of troops in the city and a reinforcement in the screening of attendees within the venue itself.
Police Chief Jessica Tisch explained that the changes are due to internal data from the authorities and “what we have seen around the world in terms of terrorism.” The last incident was in 2023, when a man attacked three police officers with a machete near the security perimeter.
With information from EFE
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