Thunderstorms didn’t dampen the spirits in Times Square on New Year’s Eve as thousands of revelers rang in 2025 with a bang. As the festive masses waited in anticipation for the clock to strike midnight, a group of a dozen or so partiers, including Tiffany Lopez of the Bronx, danced to salsa with the raindrops pouring down Tuesday night.

The ritual of watching a dazzling ball descend from a pole in Times Square has taken place since the early 20th century, when electricity use was so new it seemed like magic.