Times Square ball is set to drop again and again for Fourth of July
The Times Square ball in New York City will drop to celebrate America's 250th anniversary and ring in the Fourth of July.
Unlike on New Year's Eve, the ball won't drop just once, but eight times for the first time ever to mark when the clock strikes midnight in each American time zone, according to the America250 website. This also will be the first time the ball has dropped for a July 4 celebration.
The pre-program livestream celebration will begin on Friday, July 3, at 9:45 a.m. ET, and the first ball drop will occur when Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands hit midnight Chamorro Standard Time at 10 a.m. ET. No set end time for the pre-program has been announced.
USA TODAY has reached out to America250 for more details surrounding the schedule.
After that will come the main event, the America250 Giving 4th Broadcast Benefit Show, which will be livestreamed on Friday, July 3, from 9 p.m. to Saturday, July 4 at 12:15 a.m. ET, with the Eastern time zone ball drop happening at 12 a.m. ET.
Once the main event ends at 12:15 a.m. ET, the live stream will continue as the clock strikes midnight on July 4 in the Central, Mountain, Pacific, Alaska, and Hawaii-Aleutian time zones, until the last ball drops in American Samoa at 7 a.m. ET, according to an America250 news release.
Here's what else to know about the Times Square celebration to ring in Independence Day.
More details on America250 event in Times Square
America250 will live stream the Giving 4th Broadcast Benefit Show Live from One Times Square on Friday, July 3, according to an America 250 news release. The event, hosted by comedian and actor Jim Gaffigan, will feature performances by musicians Mary J. Blige, Brad Paisley, NE-YO and more.
The event aims to raise money for local nonprofits experiencing a "summer slump," a period when nonprofits face a decline in donor support in the middle of the year.
"Throughout the summer season, Americans are invited to make a pledge to support a nonprofit or cause they care about," the news release stated. "On July 4th and thereafter, participants fulfill these pledges by donating directly to any registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, shifting the focus of Independence Day from passive celebration to active, local investment."
Performances will lead up to the ball drop at midnight ET.
It can all be streamed on America250.org or through the America's Block Party Mobile App on iOS and Android. You can listen to it on Freeform Radio on iHeart.com or the iHeartRadio app.
Julia Gomez is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers space phenomena, scientific studies and natural disasters. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Times Square ball is set to drop again and again for Fourth of July
Reporting by Julia Gomez, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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This story was originally published July 3, 2026 at 2:08 AM.