This New Year’s Eve, Times Square will welcome 2026 with a patriotic twist: after the traditional ball drop, the crystal ball will rise again, glowing red, white, and blue to kick off months of events commemorating America’s upcoming 250th birthday.

Rosie Rios, chair of the America250 commission, described the celebration as “one for the ages,” with hundreds of programs nationwide marking the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The Times Square Alliance and One Times Square collaborated to add new elements to this year’s festivities, including a second confetti drop and plans for an unprecedented July 3 ball drop, the first in 120 years to occur outside New Year’s Eve.

The Times Square ball drop tradition began in 1907 with a 700-pound iron-and-wood ball created by Jacob Starr. The latest version, the Constellation Ball, weighs nearly 12,000 pounds and measures 12 feet in diameter.

Midnight will also launch America Gives, a nationwide volunteer initiative aiming for record participation in 2026. America250 will feature in the New Year’s Day Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, with a float celebrating the nation’s past, present, and future.

Rios emphasized that celebrations will span the entire country, from Alaska to Guam, and aim to engage citizens in both large-scale events and community-driven programs. President Donald Trump has also announced the “Freedom 250” initiative to coordinate additional activities for the semiquincentennial.

“Having a menu of options for participation is key,” Rios said. “That’s how we’re going to engage all 350 million Americans.”