<P> The drop itself occurs at 11: 59 p.m.--the last minute of the year, and is ceremonially "activated" by a dignitary or celebrity joined on - stage by the current Mayor of New York City . The conclusion of the drop is followed by fireworks shot from the roof of One Times Square, along with the playing of "Auld Lang Syne" by Guy Lombardo, "Theme from New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra, "America the Beautiful" by Ray Charles, "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong, and "Over the Rainbow" by IZ . </P> <P> Since the 1996 New Year's Eve celebration, the current Mayor of New York City has been joined by a special guest, selected yearly to recognize their community involvement or significance, in ceremonially "activating" the ball drop by pressing a button, resembling a smaller version of the ball itself, at exactly one minute to midnight . The button itself does not actually trigger the drop; that is done from a control room, synchronized using a government time signal . Special guests who have activated the ball drop have included: </P> <Ul> <Li> 1996--1997: Oseola McCarty </Li> <Li> 1997--1998: A group of five winners from a school essay contest honoring New York City's centennial </Li> <Li> 1998--1999: Chinese gymnast Sang Lan (who was injured during the 1998 Goodwill Games and was being rehabilitated in New York City) </Li> <Li> 1999--2000: Dr. Mary Ann Hopkins from Doctors Without Borders </Li> <Li> 2000--2001: Muhammad Ali </Li> <Li> 2001--2002: Rudy Giuliani and Judith Nathan; this was Giuliani's final act as mayor . Michael Bloomberg officially became the new Mayor of New York City upon the beginning of 2002, and took his oath of office shortly after midnight . </Li> <Li> 2002--2003: Christopher and Dana Reeve </Li> <Li> 2003--2004: Cyndi Lauper, along with Shoshana Johnson--the first female American prisoner of war belonging to an ethnic minority </Li> <Li> 2004--2005: Secretary of State Colin Powell </Li> <Li> 2005--2006: Jazz musician Wynton Marsalis </Li> <Li> 2006--2007: A group of eight United States Armed Forces members </Li> <Li> 2007--2008: Karolina Wierzchowska, an Iraq War veteran and New York City Police Academy valedictorian </Li> <Li> 2008--2009: Bill and Hillary Clinton </Li> <Li> 2009--2010: Twelve students from New York City high schools on the U.S. News & World Report "America's Best High Schools Top 100' Gold Medal' List" </Li> <Li> 2010--2011: Former Staff sergeant Salvatore Giunta </Li> <Li> 2011--2012: Musician Lady Gaga </Li> <Li> 2012--2013: The Rockettes </Li> <Li> 2013--2014: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor . </Li> <Li> 2014--2015: Cuban - American musician Jencarlos Canela, joined by a group of refugees who emigrated to New York City, in partnership with the International Rescue Committee </Li> <Li> 2015--2016: Hugh Evans </Li> <Li> 2016--2017: United Nations Secretary - General Ban Ki - moon; this was Ban Ki - moon's final act as UN Secretary - General, as António Guterres took office on January 1, 2017 . </Li> <Li> 2017--2018: Tarana Burke </Li> </Ul> <Li> 1996--1997: Oseola McCarty </Li>

Who dropped the ball in times square 2017