Times Square ball to drop 8 times for July 4 celebration: Details
2026 New York City ball drop preview from Times Square
FOX 5 NY's Jessica Formoso joined Dan Bowens on Newsroom Live to preview New Year's Eve in Times Square.
NEW YORK CITY - The Times Square ball is set to drop eight times this Independence Day, marking midnight in every U.S. time zone.
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What we know:
America250 and One Times Square announced plans for a nationwide Independence Day broadcast event that will feature multiple Times Square Ball drops across U.S. time zones, marking a first-of-its-kind expansion of the traditional New Year’s Eve-style countdown.
Times Square ball drops nationwide for July 4
The "Giving 4th Broadcast Benefit Show," scheduled for July 3, will include eight separate ball drops timed to midnight in each American time zone, beginning in Guam and ending in American Samoa.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 01: The One Times Square billboards and '2026' numerals display an American flag, as the ball displays "250" on New Year’s Eve in Times Square on January 1, 2026 in New York City. Organizers say more than 3,000 pounds of
Organizers say the rolling sequence is designed to create a nearly 24-hour, coast-to-coast celebration tied to the country’s 250th anniversary.
Total of 8 ball drops from Guam to American Samoa
The first ball drop is set for 10 a.m. on July 3 in the Chamorro Time Zone, which includes Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 31: The beginning of America’s 250th anniversary year is celebrated during the 2026 New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square on December 31, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Craig T Fruchtman/Getty Images)
The event will then move through Puerto Rico and the continental U.S., culminating in a Times Square countdown at 11:59 p.m. Additional ball drops will follow for Central, Mountain, Pacific, Alaska and Hawaii-Aleutian time zones, with the final drop scheduled for 7 a.m.
How to watch the ball drop
The broadcasts will originate from One Times Square and be available via live television and streaming platforms.
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 1: Red, white and blue confetti falls on revelers during a second ball drop to mark the start of the America250 semiquincentennial celebration year during New Year's Eve festivities in Times Square on January 1, 2026, in New Yo
Organizers describe the staggered countdown as a way to connect celebrations across different regions in real time.
Tickets to the July 4 ball drop
In-person viewing in Times Square will not be open to the general public. Officials say the event has shifted to a limited, ticketed experience inside One Times Square, though details on how to obtain tickets have not yet been announced.
Giving 4th, national fundraising initiative
The July 3 event also serves as a lead-in to "Giving 4th," a national fundraising initiative tied to Independence Day. The campaign aims to encourage charitable donations across the country and position July 4 as an annual day of giving.
Additional programming is planned for July 4 and July 5 at One Times Square, including public events tied to the broader celebration and reflection on the nation’s founding.
America250, the congressionally authorized organization overseeing the Semiquincentennial, is coordinating the effort as part of a larger series of events leading up to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
The Source: This report is based on information from America250.org.