Organisers in New York have successfully completed a test run of the Times Square New Year’s Eve crystal ball, less than 48 hours before the annual countdown celebration.

A test of New York City’s iconic New Year’s Eve ball drop was carried out successfully in Times Square on Tuesday, 30 December, organisers said.

Standing on a platform above Times Square, representatives from Countdown Entertainment and partner organisations activated the switch to illuminate and raise the crystal ball up the flagpole before lowering it again.

“It went up, it came down, and we are ready for tomorrow,” said Jeffrey Strauss, president of Countdown Entertainment.

The new ball, known as the Constellation Ball, is the ninth version of the Times Square New Year’s Eve ball and the largest ever used. It weighs 12,350 pounds and features 5,280 Waterford crystal circles, replacing the triangular design used in previous versions.

Strauss said the circular crystals are designed to resemble stars, giving the ball its constellation theme.

Organisers also announced plans for a record-breaking amount of confetti during the celebrations, with nearly three tonnes set to be released in stages throughout the night. The display will include purple and yellow confetti during the countdown, multicoloured confetti at midnight, and red, white and blue confetti to mark the start of America’s 250th anniversary year shortly after midnight.

Strauss said hundreds of thousands of people are expected to gather in Times Square, while more than one billion viewers worldwide are expected to watch the countdown.

The crystal ball will remain unlit until the final seconds before midnight on 31 December 2025, when it will descend to mark the arrival of the New Year.

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