Just as it has happened for more than a century as the old year ticks toward history , a large crowd will gather Friday night in New York 's Times Square to mark the old and the new with the descent of an iconic ball . Since 1907 , a ball - drop in Times Square has marked the changing of the year . This year , the ball will have water that will explode to produce hundreds of colors . More than a ton of confetti will be released at once .
Since 1907 , a ball - drop in Times Square has marked the changing of the year . This year , the ball will have water that will explode to produce hundreds of colors . More than a ton of confetti will be released at once .