• The ball is made up of approximately 2,700 Waterford crystals.
• Each year’s ball drop theme is “Gift of Love.”
• Last year’s festivities were open to revelers, but just 15,000 people could attend.

Times Square in New York is expected to fill to capacity for the first time in the past two years, when people gather to see the traditional ball drop on New Year’s Eve later today.

The epidemic will force many new year’s celebrations to be toned curtailed in 2020 and 2021, including this one.

Last year’s festivities were open to revelers, but just 15,000 people could attend.

Attendees were required to present proof of complete immunization or, in the case of exemption, a negative Covid test.

A small number of health professionals were permitted inside the square for the event in 2020 despite the fact that it was off-limits to spectators.

This year, there won’t be any constraints on the spectacle.

Just before 8:00 EST, the ball, which is made up of approximately 2,700 Waterford crystals, will be affixed to the top of the pole in Times Square (23:00 GMT).

The plunge will start at one minute past midnight and last exactly 60 seconds.

Irish artisans at Waterford Crystal have produced replacement crystal panels by hand for the ball.

The subject for this year is “Gift of Love,” which is chosen every year.

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