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Times Square, Manhattan, NY 10036 · Official site ↗
Renamed from Longacre Square in 1904 when The New York Times moved into the newly built Times Tower, the area became home to the annual ball drop starting in 1907, after a rooftop fireworks show was banned as a fire hazard.
Costumed characters offering photos will aggressively demand a tip afterward — agree on a price beforehand or skip the photo, and keep valuables zipped up given the dense crowds.