The traditional celebrations, especially the descent of the luminous and sparkling ball, could take place for the transition to the year 2023, after two editions thwarted by the health crisis.
The United States is among the last countries to change the year. When it was 6 a.m. in France, New York City entered the year 2023. Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to Time Square to watch the celebrations.
The traditional luminous ball began to descend slowly from 23.59 to land at midnight sharp from the mast at One Times Square, a 25-story building. The ball’s surface is made up of nearly 2,700 Waterford crystals, which officials said were illuminated with a palette of more than 16 million colors, reports The Guardian.
Countdown and confetti
A giant countdown clock was displayed on the building. At the stroke of midnight, a flurry of confetti fell on spectators and revelers, flashing amidst the giant screens and neon lights of the famous New York district.
Two years in a row, the event had been disrupted by the health crisis and the Covid-19 epidemic. For the transition to the year 2022, only 15,000 spectators were present, while an average of 750,000 people gather on the square every year.
The annual event is also broadcast live by several television channels and is watched by millions of viewers.
Two New York City officers were taken to the hospital after an altercation with a machete-wielding man a few blocks from the crowd, the AP reports.