what happened to the ball in times square
New York City ushers in 2022 with brawl drop in Times Foursquare
The annual New Year's Eve ball drop in New York City's Times Square has arrived just every bit the year prior began, with the pandemic clouding an already uncertain future
NEW YORK -- New York City welcomed the new year's day — and bid good riddance to 2021 — as confetti and cheers spread beyond Times Square every bit a New Year's Eve tradition returned to a city beleaguered by a global pandemic.
The new year's day marched beyond the world, time zone by time zone, and thousands of New Year's revelers stood shoulder to shoulder in a slight arctic to witness a 6-ton ball, encrusted with nearly 2,700 Waterford crystals, descend above a crowd of about xv,000 in-person spectators — far fewer than the many tens of thousands of revelers who usually descend on the earth-famous foursquare to enjoy in the lights and hoopla of the nation'due south marquee New Twelvemonth's Eve outcome.
Information technology did so as an uneasy nation tried to muster optimism that the worst days of the pandemic are now backside it — even every bit public wellness officials cautioned Friday against unbridled celebrations among surging COVID-nineteen infections from the omicron variant.
Last year's ball drop was closed to the public because of the pandemic.
Every bit the ball dropped and euphoria filled the streets, Maya Scharm, a dog trainer visiting from New Jersey, felt 2021 slide abroad.
"It's symbolic of getting back to normal," she said, only minutes after the stroke of midnight.
"Hopefully it's different this year," said her companion, Brandon Allen. "Nosotros already have that sense of stability. Nosotros know what'south going on — at that place's a new strain going around now — simply it's similar we've kind of been through it for two years at this point."
Though the crowds were smaller, the throngs nevertheless stretched for blocks to soak in the celebration, with many traveling from afar to have office. Confetti lit upwardly by electronic billboards swirled in a light wind on a balmy wintertime nighttime in New York City.
Mary Gonzalez stood a few anxiety backside a crowd, wanting to keep her distance from anyone unwittingly carrying the virus.
"I'm happy that 2021 is over because information technology caused a lot of problems for everybody," said Gonzalez, who was visiting from Mexico City and wanted to accept in an American tradition. "Nosotros promise that 2022 is much better than this year."
The annual ball drop took place as the clock ticked into midnight and ushered in the new twelvemonth, an occasion usually commemorated with the uncorking of Champagne, clinking of pints, joyous embraces and renewed hope for better times ahead.
Times Square is often referred to as the crossroads of the earth, and city officials insisted on belongings the marquee New year's day's Eve issue to demonstrate the city'due south resiliency even amid a resurgence of the coronavirus.
Simply 2022 begins just equally the year prior began — with the pandemic clouding an already uncertain hereafter.
Doubts swirled about whether the urban center would have to cancel this twelvemonth's bash, as the city posted record numbers of COVID-19 cases in the days leading to it, fifty-fifty every bit some cities like Atlanta had decided to abolish their own celebrations.
COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have soared to their highest levels on record at over 265,000 per twenty-four hours on average. New York City reported a record number of new, confirmed cases — nearly 44,000 — on Wednesday and a similar number Thursday, according to New York state figures.
Officials required those attending the spectacle would accept to clothing masks and prove proof of vaccination. Organizers had initially hoped that more than 50,000 revelers would be able to join in, but plans were dramatically scaled back because of widespread infections.
Rap artist and thespian LL Cool J was supposed to be among the performers taking the stage in Times Foursquare on Fri nighttime, but appear he would pull out of the effect because he had tested positive for COVID-nineteen.
Merely Mayor Beak de Blasio, who relinquished oversight of the nation's most populous city at the stroke of midnight, said the festivities at Times Square would "show the world that New York City is fighting our way through this."
New York Metropolis's incoming mayor, Eric Adams, took his oath in Times Square soon subsequently the ball drop. He made a brief advent earlier on the main phase to affirm the city'due south resiliency.
"It's just great when New York shows the unabridged land how we come dorsum," he said. "We showed the entire globe what we're made of. We're unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, we're ready for a major comeback because this is New York."
That hopeful sentiment was shared by ordinary people.
"I look dorsum and I run into it every bit a sort of a stressful yr, but it wasn't a terrible twelvemonth," said Lynn Cafarchio, who braved the crowds to attend the festivities with her hubby Pete.
A New York Urban center tour guide, she was unemployed for a spell as the economy was shuttered and tourism tanked.
"We're standing here glad that 2021 will soon be over," she said, "but really positive about next year."
Even if the crowds were considerably smaller, people gathered across block after block to witness the ball drop.
Nursing student Ashley Ochoa and her boyfriend, Jose Avelar, traveled from the central valley of California specifically to be at Times Foursquare.
"COVID did hold a lot of stuff back for me," Ochoa said, "just I mean, I'm here today, so that's what I'm thankful for."
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/york-city-ushers-2022-ball-drop-times-square-82028922
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