Workers installed 192 sparkling Waterford crystal triangles featuring this year’s “Gift of Wisdom” design on the ball, which measures 12 feet in diameter and weighs about 12,000 pounds.
A star-studded lineup is scheduled to perform at this year’s festivities, which will be limited to 15,000 revelers, all required to be vaccinated and wearing masks.
The organizers have announced the lineup of artists for the Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest,
Related | Watch ‘On the Red Carpet: Countdown to Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest’
A-listers include Katie Tunstall, LL Cool J, Journey and Chloe. The USO show troupe will also be present there.
The ball is covered with a total of 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles that vary in size and length from 4 3/4 inches to 5 3/4 inches per side.
Robert Stults is part of a select group that gets up close and personal with the coveted field… 365 days a year.
Stults said, “They are beautiful … they are and we try very hard not to break them.”
A team of electricians with Local 3 is making sure it’s in top shape for Friday night, when all eyes are on Time Square.
“It’s stressful, I think it’s more stressful this year because of the pandemic situation, it’s a little different,” Stults said.
For Times Square 2022, 192 Waterford crystal triangles introduce the new “Gift of Wisdom” design represented by a central wheel with wedge cut petals of wisdom.
Jeffrey Strauss, president of Countdown Entertainment, said, “The Gift of Enlightenment has a central shell surrounded by petals of wisdom moving forward and will incorporate the gifts of harmony and imagination to create a pattern of joy and dreams on the ball.”
Each panel is supported with color-changing LED lights; over 32,000.
This week is a time of crisis, checking and doubling down on each one. This is a true labor of love.
The test run is Thursday to make sure everything is ready for the big fall. Stults and his team will make a fake countdown
“When it finally comes down to it and all the fireworks go off and everything is exploding, everyone is screaming, it’s an absolutely incredible feeling,” Stults said.
Celebrations will begin Friday at 6 p.m. ET with lights and raises on New Year’s Eve atop One Times Square.
Actor and TV personality Jonathan Bennett will return to the festivities as host of Times Square’s New Year’s Eve and will be joined by Jeremy Hassel, who will serve as a co-host.
Other live performances will include a fitness dance performance presented by Planet Fitness and performed by Liza Koshy.
Related | Star-studded New Year’s Eve announcement for Times Square festivities
Special moments will also include the Associated Press’s presentation of the year-in-review Highlight Reel of the most memorable events of 2021.
NYCFC, which recently won the MLS Cup Championship, will join the fun with its coveted MLS Cup trophy.
,
, get eyewitness news
, More news from New York City
, Send us a News Tip
, Download abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
, Follow us on You Tube
submit a news tip
Copyright © 2021 WABC-TV. All rights reserved.
,