Revelers set to pack into Times Square for annual New Year's Eve ball drop

NEW YORK — The confetti has been tested for lightness. The giant numbers – 2 0 2 4 – are in place. And the luminous ball, decorated with 2,688 crystal triangles, is attached to the pole from which it will make its 60-second descent at 11:59 p.m.

As throngs of partygoers ring in the New Year under the bright lights of Times Square, officials and organizers say they are prepared to welcome the crowds and ensure their safety.

At a security briefing Friday, New York Mayor Eric Adams said there are “no specific threats” to the annual New Year's Eve event, which is expected to draw tens of thousands of people to the heart of Midtown Manhattan on Sunday.

The celebrity-packed event will include live performances from Flo Rida, Megan Thee Stallion and LL Cool J, as well as television appearances from Cardi B and others. Organizers said in-person attendance is expected to return to pre-coronavirus levels, even as foot traffic around Times Square remains down slightly since the pandemic.

Amid near-daily protests in New York, sparked by fighting between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza, police said they would expand the security perimeter around the party and create a “buffer zone” that would allow them to block potential demonstrations to cope.

Pro-Palestinian marches have disrupted recent events in New York, including the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the ceremonial lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.

“We'll be here with our dogs, on horseback, our helicopters, our boats,” Adams said. Officials will also monitor the protests with drones, he said. “But as we saw last year, after not having any specific threats, we still get a threat.”

During last year's New Year's Eve party, a man with a machete attacked three police officers a few blocks from Times Square.

On Saturday, as organizers practiced raising and lowering the iconic ball, Tom Harris, president of the Times Square Alliance, said he was confident the meticulous preparations would help ensure a seamless evening.

“The star of the show just had a dress rehearsal and performed fantastically,” he said. “I have every confidence that everything will go great tomorrow night in Times Square.”

His advice for those planning to attend the countdown: “Come early.”