Times Square ball to drop for America’s 250th birthday

(NewsNation) — The iconic Times Square ball for the first time will land On a date other than New Year’s Eve as part of the 4th of July celebrations, America’s 250th birthday.
Eight ball drops will take place to celebrate midnight in every time zone and locality in the United States, starting in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands and ending in American Samoa.
Organizer Amerika250 He said the countdown was designed to unite Americans across the country.
America250 It is a bipartisan organization established by Congress to honor America’s 250th birthday. This is different Freedom 250The Trump-backed organization hosts events in Washington, D.C.; Great American State Fair.
Trump returns to Mount Rushmore to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary
It will be the first time date prom It fell on a date other than New Year’s Eve. The iconic event began in 1907, but the ball itself has been redesigned many times over the decades.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 24: (EDITOR’S NOTE: Image Captured with a Fisheye Lens) The New Year’s Eve ball is seen from below after the Inaugural Ball Raising Ceremony at One Times Square on November 24, 2025 in New York City. The ceremony marked the first public unveiling of the building’s renovations and the newly introduced New Year’s Eve Ball. The ball, now in its ninth iteration, is encrusted with 5,280 circular Waterford crystals in three different designs and makes its debut ahead of the launch of new attractions that will open inside the building alongside public access experiences throughout the year. (Photo: Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
The current ball was released in 2025, featuring circle-shaped Waterford Crystals, unlike the triangular crystals that have been featured since 1999. The Constellation Ball is 12.5 feet in diameter and weighs 12,350 pounds. It is adorned with 5,280 crystals and LED light disks in three sizes.
The cannon shots are featured in the “Giving 4th Broadcast Benefit Show,” a live special in New York City that also kicks off Giving 4th, an initiative that encourages Americans to support charities and volunteer in their communities.
The show will premiere on Thursday, July 3 at 9pm ET and the show will air. Amerika250.orgHosted by Jim Gaffigan and featuring performances by Mary J. Blige, Brad Paisley and Ne-Yo.
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