Times Square ball to drop 8 times in New York City: Timeline, other details
NEW YORK CITY - Eight Times Square ball drops beginning on Friday morning to commemorate America's 250th birthday will take place in Times Square.
America250 Times Square ball drop schedule
Timeline:
The ball will drop a total of eight times throughout a 24-hour period, beginning at 10 a.m. Each ball drop will signify when midnight strikes in each time zone:
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 01: The One Times Square billboards and '2026' numerals display an American flag, as the ball displays "250" and fireworks explode and confetti falls on New Year’s Eve in Times Square on January 1, 2026 in New York City.
- July 3 - 10 a.m. ET: Guam ball drop
- July 3 - 11:59 p.m. ET: Eastern Time ball drop
- July 4 - 1 a.m. ET: Central Time ball drop
- July 4 - 2 a.m. ET: Mountain Time ball drop
- July 4 - 3 a.m. ET: Pacific Time ball drop
- July 4 - 4 a.m. ET: Alaska time ball drop
- July 4 - 6 a.m. ET: Hawaii time ball drop
- July 4 - 7 a.m. ET: Samoa time ball drop
Organizers say the rolling sequence is designed to create a nearly 24-hour, coast-to-coast celebration tied to the country’s 250th anniversary. They describe the staggered countdown as a way to connect celebrations across different regions in real time.
Ball drop not available for public viewing
Dig deeper:
The ball drop is not a public event, as opposed to the Times Square ball drop that annually takes place on New Year's Eve.
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
The event was initially planned to be open to the public, but America250 pivoted to a "limited, ticketed in-person experience."
The Source: This article includes information provided by America250's official website.