<P> In Port of Spain the tradition is to celebrate in one's yard with friends, family and neighbors, and eat and drink till sunrise . At midnight the city becomes festive with fireworks in every direction . The celebration only starts at midnight . Music is heard from all the houses and bars, nightclubs, street parties, Soca raves . The people are celebrating not only the new year but the beginning of the carnival season as well . </P> <P> In the United States, New Year's Eve is celebrated with formal parties and concerts, family - oriented activities, and large public events such as firework shows and "drops". </P> <P> The most prominent celebration in the country is the "ball drop" held in New York City's Times Square . Inspired by the time balls that were formerly used as a time signal, at 11: 59 p.m. ET, an 11,875 - pound (5,386 kg), 12 - foot - diameter (3.7 m) ball covered in panels made of Waterford crystal, is lowered down a 70 feet (21 m) high pole on the roof of One Times Square, reaching the roof of the building 60 seconds later at midnight . The event has been held since 1907, and has seen an average attendance of 1,000,000 yearly . The popularity of the spectacle has inspired similar events outside of New York City, where objects that represent a region's culture, geography, or history are raised or lowered in a similar fashion--such as Atlanta's Peach Drop, representing Georgia's identity as the "Peach State", and Brasstown, North Carolina's lowering of a live opossum in a glass enclosure (an event which has historically attracted criticism from animal rights groups). </P> <P> Radio and television broadcasts of festivities from New York City helped to ingrain them in American pop culture; beginning on the radio in 1928, and on CBS television from 1956 to 1976 with ball drop coverage, Guy Lombardo and his band, The Royal Canadians, presented an annual New Year's Eve broadcast from the ballroom of New York's Waldorf - Astoria Hotel . The specials were best known for the Royal Canadians' signature performance of "Auld Lang Syne" at midnight, which made the standard synonymous with the holiday . Following Lombardo's death in 1977, the competing program New Year's Rockin' Eve (which premiered for 1973 on NBC before moving to its current home, ABC, for 1975), succeeded the Royal Canadians as the most - watched New Year's Eve special on U.S. television . Its creator and host, Dick Clark, intended the program to be a modern and youthful alternative to Lombardo's big band music, by showcasing performances by popular musicians as part of the broadcast . Including ABC's special coverage of the year 2000, Clark would host New Year's Eve coverage on ABC for 33 straight years . After suffering a stroke in December 2004 (resulting in Regis Philbin guest hosting for 2005), Clark retired as full - time host of the special for the 2006 edition, and was succeeded by Ryan Seacrest . Clark continued to make limited appearances on the special until his death in 2012 . </P>

When did the first new years eve ball drop