How to Watch the Times Square Webcast Online for Free [2020-2021]

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Tonight, the ball will be dropping in Times Square on New Year’s Eve and you can watch it live on a free webcast. If you’re not interested in watching any of the TV performances online, then this is a great place to go to watch the Times Square Webcast online and see the ball drop live as it happens. The live stream begins at 6 p.m. Eastern (5 p.m. Central.) An embedded video that you can watch is featured later in this story.

Watch the 2020-2021 Times Square Webcast Online Here

You can watch the Times Square Webcast at TimesSquareNYC.org. This is a commercial-free webcast. It starts early at 6 p.m. Eastern and continues all the way to when the Ball drops at 12 a.m. Eastern. The broadcast’s webpage describes the live stream as: “commercial-free, webcast coverage of the festivities leading up to the Ball Drop at midnight, including backstage access, behind-the-scenes stories and interviews with performers and other celebrities.”

You can watch the live stream in the embedded video below. If for any reason the embed does not appear on your browser, you can watch it at this link.



You Can Also Watch the Webcast on Your Phone

If you prefer to watch the webcast on your phone, you can also stream it for free at NewYearsEve.nyc, TimesSquareBall.net, and TimesSquareNYC.org. All three sites say they are mobile-friendly. You can also watch on social media sites like Facebook or Twitter. The webcast itself will also be streamed via Facebook Live.

EarthCam is offering its own Times Square webcast too. You can watch it here.

The Schedule for Times Square Tonight

Here’s the schedule for tonight and all the moments you don’t want to miss, as shared by TimesSquareNYC.org. Every time listed below is in the Eastern time zone. The schedule is from the Times Square NYC website.

6:00 p.m. to 6:03 p.m.
Lighting and Raising the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball

6:08 p.m. to 6:12 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by Billy Porter on the Countdown Stage.

6:57 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Hourly Countdown

7:01 p.m. to 7:03 p.m.
Good Riddance Day Highlights
The host of Times Square New Year’s Eve, Jonathan Bennett will share highlights from Good Riddance Day with the Times Square revelers from the Countdown Stage.

7:03 p.m. to 7:17 p.m.
The USO Show Troupe Performance to honor our Armed Forces on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.

7:58 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Hourly Countdown

8:01 p.m. to 8:11 p.m.
Musical Performance by Andra Day: Rise Up and Forever Mine on the Planet Fitness Center Stage

8:11 p.m. to 8:14 p.m.
Waterford Crystal Toast

8:30 p.m. to 8:36 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Jimmie Allen performs hit songs on the Countdown Stage.

8:45 p.m. to 8:57 p.m.
Gloria Gaynor performs her hit songs I Will Survive, Never Can Say Goodbye and Joy Comes In The Morning on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.

8:57 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Hourly Countdown

9:39 p.m. to 9:45 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Machine Gun Kelly performs a medley of hit songs on the Countdown Stage.

9:58 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Hourly Countdown with Planet Fitness

10:01 p.m. to 10:06 p.m.
The Waffle Crew performs on the Planet Fitness Center Stage.

10:06 p.m. to 10:09 p.m.
Barefoot Toast

10:18 p.m. to 10:26 p.m.
Univision’s ¡Feliz 2021!: Performance by Anitta

10:37 p.m. to 10:44 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by Cyndi Lauper & Billy Porter

10:58 p.m. to 11:01 p.m.
Hourly Countdown with Raúl de Molina singing “Happy New Year.” This will include purple and yellow confetti release and colorful pyrotechnic effects atop One Times Square.

11:01 p.m. to 11:15 p.m.
Univision’s ¡Feliz 2021!: Performance by Pitbull

11:38 p.m. to 11:46 p.m.
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”: Performance by Jennifer Lopez

11:55 p.m. to 11:58 p.m.
Special Musical Performance by Andra Day of John Lennon’s Imagine

11:59 p.m.
The Mayor of New York City will push the Waterford crystal button that signals the descent of the New Year’s Eve Ball, and lead the final sixty-second countdown to the New Year on the Countdown Stage.

12:00 a.m. — New Year’s Day
At the stroke of Midnight, the lights on the New Year’s Eve Ball are turned off as the numerals of the New Year “2021” burst to life shining high above Times Square.

The world-famous New Year’s Eve confetti is released from the rooftops of buildings throughout Times Square.

12:15 a.m. — End of Show.

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