New Year’s Eve live stream 2022: How to watch the NYC ball drop, Times Square performances free
With omicron surging, the cost of almost everything going up, and a so-called doomsday glacier looming over the Antarctic horizon, 2021 didn’t exactly end on the high note we were hoping for. But you can still make the best of it by tuning into the scaled-back New Year’s Eve events planned for Friday.
Celebrations will go on in New York’s Times Square, which will allow about 15,000 people in designated viewing areas, as opposed to the normal 58,000, the Associated Press reports. Performers this year (who haven’t dropped out yet) include Journey and KT Tunstall—and the city’s incoming mayor, Eric Adams, will be sworn in there shortly after midnight (in lieu of his recently postponed indoor inauguration ceremony).
This is the second year in a row that COVID-19 restrictions have put a damper on the ceremonial dropping of the ball, but fortunately you can still ring in 2022 from the comfort of your living room and stream the festivities live on your TV, computer, or phone. Here’s how:
Official Times Square Webcast
This live stream from the Times Square Alliance—which organizes the official ball-dropping ceremony—is free and easy to access. The lighting and raising of the ball begin at 6 p.m. ET (full schedule here), and the countdown begins 60 seconds before midnight.
Watch coverage on a cable or TV network
Most television networks are offering their own coverage of New Year’s Eve, although some have canceled—notably the Fox network, which has decided not to go through with its “New Year’s Eve Toast & Roast,” due to the latest wave of COVID-19. Others will continue their usual dispatches from various locations, including Times Square. Here’s a roundup of some of the most popular broadcasts:
Below are some of the most popular bundled streaming platforms. You may need to sign in with a pay-TV service before you can stream some of these programs live.
If you’re a new customer, you might be able to get a free promotional week with one of the above services. Make sure you check your zip code first to see which channels are available in your area. Of course, if you have an old-fashioned OTA antenna, you can watch the broadcast networks for free . . . like they did in the old days. Happy New Year!
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