2023 New Year’s Eve Ball Drop Rehearsals in Times Square

I have finally learnt after all these years that there are rehearsals for all the events that I don’t have patience for or access to, such as the Rockefeller Tree Lighting or the Thanksgiving Parade. Today, I bumped into the ball drop rehearsal for 2023 New Year’s Eve at Times Square, which was quite a treat as I am very certain I will never ever attend that, even though I know better than to never say never.

Here is the ball drop – or the ball raise – as I saw it this evening –

Times Square has been taking on a festive air all week, getting dressed stage by stage –

The 2023 numbers are all ready to be lit up in a day!

All the boxes and equipment above had disappeared when I walked past today, but I did manage to see the van that screens are being managed from a couple of blocks away-

There are cameras all over –

I crossed a few people with painted faces in one of the enclosures around the stage, guess we will figure out what they are performing tomorrow.

The streets around Times Square are PACKED with people, so much so that even police cars with sirens blaring could not help to clear the streets for traffic.

The crossroads of the world have been turned into a catwalk with people posing for pictures despite the traffic!

There were a couple of Kia cars being positioned on a platform, guess they have paid a lot of money for their sponsorship given their brand is all over Times Square.

There was a huge retractable screen on a truck that was just positioned under the Nasdaq screen. This was a couple of blocks away from the stages so guessing it will be used to showcase the performances for everyone in the area.

And then three of these cars sped down the block, I could barely get a picture of one –

This is the closest I have ever gotten to the New Year’s Eve ball drop, really glad I got to experience this today!

#gottalovenewyork