Discover the Magic: Top 9 Fun Facts About Times Square You Never Knew!

1. Times Tower's New Year Debut

Before the ball dropped, the Times Tower popped: Adolph S. Ochs orchestrated the very first New Year's Eve celebration in 1904 at Times Square to inaugurate the Times Tower, drawing thousands of attendees and setting the stage for the iconic, world-renowned event we all know and love today.
Source => timessquarenyc.org

2. Personal Space, Who?

Entering the bustling human zoo where personal space goes to die: Times Square is a mecca for about 330,000 daily pedestrians, with the numbers soaring past 460,000 on its most hectic days. The beating heart of Broadway's Theater District, Times Square lures a staggering 50 million tourists each year, earning its badge as Midtown Manhattan's paradise for entertainment, shopping, and dining aficionados.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know NYC has about 4 million pigeons with incredible homing and distance-trekking skills? But beware, they might also carry diseases! Discover more fun facts about the Big Apple.

=> Fun Facts about New-York

3. Ball Drop Glow-Up

Much like an awkward teenager transforming into a dazzling prom queen: The New Year's Eve Ball in Times Square underwent several makeovers since its debut in 1907. In 2007, its flashy revamp by Waterford Crystal and Philips Lighting made it a year-round beauty, featuring 2,688 crystal triangles and 32,256 LEDs, shining bright above Times Square.
Source => timessquareball.net

4. Electricity Buffet

Talk about an electric personality! Times Square and the Theater District are the life of the party, consuming energy like a teenager at an all-you-can-eat buffet: Together, they munch on a whopping 161 megawatts of electricity at once, enough to power a small country like Turks and Caicos or send Sierra Leone's overall consumption skyrocketing over three times.
Source => theworldbyroad.com

5. Baby Billboard Beginnings

Before Times Square became the flashy kaleidoscope of screens that it is today, it was just a wee little digital infant with a surprising knack for news: In 1928, the New York Times introduced the world's first electronic news strip, the Motograph News Bulletin, on their Times Square office building. This 380-foot "zipper" of moving letters delivered news headlines without advertising, paving the way for today's iconic, larger-than-life billboards.
Source => wired.com

6. Pavement Jungle Party

Who needs a crowded party when you can hit the pavement jungle of Times Square: home to the world's most visited tourist attraction with an annual attendance of 50 million people, and attracting roughly 330,000 pedestrians daily, with numbers swelling up to 460,000 on its busiest days!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Confetti Wishes

Who needs confetti when you can make it rain with hope and joy? The Times Square New Year's Eve bash has you covered: Over a ton of confetti, composed of wishes submitted by people worldwide, is showered onto the crowds at midnight, doubling as a symbol of unity and a vibrant display of optimism for the year ahead. Don't miss out on the magic - submit your own wishes to the Wishing Wall, and they might just become part of this heart-warming confetti downpour on New Year's Eve!
Source => timessquarenyc.org

8. Ball Dropping Since 1907

Talk about dropping the ball! Times Square has been doing it since 1907, making it the cool kid on the New Year's Eve block: The first documented New Year's Eve ball drop event took place there in 1907, and it's grown into a worldwide sensation, with millions gathering annually to witness that sparkling orb make its descent at the stroke of midnight.
Source => milrose.com

9. Naked Cowboy Wedding Officiant

No need to square dance at a Times Square wedding when you can two-step to the altar with the strum of a guitar: The Naked Cowboy, commonly known for his bare-all performances in Times Square, is also a registered marriage officiant, authorized to tie the knot for love-struck couples amidst the hustle and bustle of New York City's iconic landmark.
Source => freetoursbyfoot.com