Not since The Beatles landed in New York 56 years ago has an arrival been so anticipated: 2021 is here.
Physically, that is. The numbers arrived in Times Square on Monday morning ahead of what will be a historic ball drop on New Year's Eve. While New Yorkers will not be able to attend the big show, some have swung by to say hello to 2021 a little early.
Teresa Hui told Gothamist this is her 5th year visiting the numerals. "I come to this because New Year's is very packed and crazy... it makes me feel proud to be a New Yorker," Hui said. "I'm so excited 2021 is coming. 2020 we thought was going be an amazing year, but we see how that turned out. I cannot wait for 2021, it's going to be an amazing year, I can feel it." Well, Hui just jinxed the hell out of next year.
Hui in 2021 glasses
The plan for this year's ball drop is to keep the area as desolate as possible, at least as far as a live audience is concerned. Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance, told us the same NYPD barricades and perimeter as previous years will be in place, but no one will be allowed to get through this time.
"You won't be able to see anything, for health reasons we don't want anyone to be crowding around," he said. "Stay home, watch it online."
Tompkins noted that among the performers are J.Lo, and Gloria Gaynor, who will sing her classic hit "I Will Survive."
"'Walk out that door, you're not welcome anymore,' I think is everyone's sentiment towards 2020," Tompkins said.
While things will be somewhat the same on an entertainment level, the lack of an audience will be striking. Typically the area sees anywhere from 100,000 to 2 million people, depending on who you believe (the NYPD's high numbers came into question a couple of years ago), with many traveling to NYC for the event, and even camping out.
The first Times Square (née Longacre Square) New Year’s Eve ball took place on December 31st, 1907. This is the first time there will be no audience.
