On New Year’s Eve, the iconic ball in Times Square will glow red, white and blue, heralding 2026 and the nation’s 250th birthday.
## A New Era of Celebration
The Times Square gathering will feature patriotic touches, including a second confetti drop, giving an early glimpse of the hundreds of events and programs planned nationwide to mark the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
## Ball Drop Innovations
America250 Chair Rosie Rios explained that the 2026 celebrations will be “much more than that” and “the most inspirational celebration this country and maybe the world has ever seen.” Rios and her bipartisan commission worked with the Times Square Alliance business district and One Times Square to modify this year’s ceremonies. They are also planning a second ball drop on July\u00A03, the eve of the nation’s birthday, “in the same beautiful style that Times Square knows how to do it.” Rios noted that this will be the first time in 120 years that a ball drop in Times Square will not occur on New Year’s Eve.
The original ball, first dropped in 1907, weighed 700 pounds (318\u00A0kg), measured 5\u00A0feet (1.5\u00A0m) in diameter, and was made of iron and wood with 100 25-watt light bulbs. Last year’s Constellation Ball, the ninth and largest version, measured about 12\u00A0feet (3.7\u00A0m) in diameter and weighed nearly 12,000 pounds (5,400\u00A0kg). The only years the ball was not dropped were 1942 and 1943, when the city instituted a nightly “dimout” during World war\u00A0II; crowds celebrated with a moment of silence and chimes rung from the base of One Times Square.
## America250’s Vision
At the stroke of midnight, the new year will also launch America Gives, a national service initiative created by America250. Organizers hope to make 2026 the largest year of volunteer hours ever aggregated in the country. The following day, America250 will join the New Year’s Day Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, with a float titled “Soaring Onward Together for 250 Years.” The float will feature three larger-than-life bald eagles symbolizing the country’s past, present, and future.
Rios said, “We want to ring in this new year from sea to shining sea. What better way to think about it than going from New\u00A0York to California.” She added that the celebrations must be community-driven and grassroots, spanning from Guam to Alaska, from Fairbanks to Philadelphia, and everything in between.
President Donald Trump announced the “Freedom\u00A025” initiative to coordinate additional events for the 250th anniversary.
Rios sees the wide range of celebrations and programs planned for the coming months-large fireworks displays, statewide potluck suppers, student contests, and citizen oral histories-as an opportunity to unite a politically divided nation. “If we can find something for everyone … having those menus of options that people can pick and choose how they want to participate,” she said. “That’s how we’re going to get to engaging 350 million Americans.”
## Security and Other News
Watch law enforcement officials announce the arrests of individuals linked to a New Year’s Eve bombing plot in Southern California.
## Key Takeaways
– The 2026 ball drop will sparkle in red, white and blue and include a second confetti drop.
– A second ball drop on July\u00A03 marks the first non-“New Year’s Eve” drop in 120 years.
– America Gives and other events aim to create the largest volunteer year and unite the nation.
The 2026 celebrations promise to be a historic, community-driven series of events that span the nation, from the bright lights of Times Square to the rolling hills of California, as America250 and other organizers aim to inspire and unite the country.
