NEW YORK — Come 2026, Times Square will witness its iconic ball descending not once, but twice, with the second occasion celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States.

This marks a historic moment as the ball, a staple of the New Year’s Eve tradition since 1907, will make its second descent.

The additional drop is scheduled for July 3, the night preceding Independence Day in 2026.

On New Year’s Eve, after the traditional midnight drop in Eastern time, the ball will be illuminated with a patriotic red, white, and blue “America 250” design. This dazzling display will offer a sneak peek of its appearance for the July event.

The patriotic touches at this year’s Times Square gathering, including a second confetti drop, will offer an early glimpse of what’s ahead: hundreds of events and programs, big and small, planned nationwide to mark the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

The night will wrap up with a pyrotechnics display to Ray Charles’ version of “America the Beautiful.” 

“I’m telling you right now, whatever you’re imagining, it’s going to be much more than that,” said America250 Chair Rosie Rios, who oversees the bipartisan commission created by Congress in 2016 to organize the semiquincentennial anniversary. “It’s going to be one for the ages, the most inspirational celebration this country and maybe the world has ever seen.”

Rios and her group worked with the Times Square Alliance business district and One Times Square, the building from where the ball is dropped, to make the changes to this year’s ceremonies. They’re also planning the second ball drop event on July 3, the eve of the nation’s birthday, “in the same beautiful style that Times Square knows how to do it,” Rios said.

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