It's a wonder that it caught on at all, but the Times Square Ball Drop for New Year's Eve has become one of the great American traditions. Whether you're planning to ring in 2023 by flipping the bird to a stinker of a year, cozying up with loved ones or sucking back on some of grandpa's old cough medicine, read on as we explain how to watch Ball Drop 2023 from anywhere - including FREE options.
Date: Saturday, December 31
Time: from 6pm ET / 5pm CT / 3pm PT
Venue: Times Square
FREE live stream: TimesSquareNYY.org / Vimeo / TimesSquareBall.net
TV channels: ABC via FREE fuboTV trial or CNN via Sling TV discount
Watch anywhere: try ExpressVPN 100% risk-free for 30-days
The NYE spectacular always begins with the giant ball being hoisted above the streets of the Big Apple and illuminated with a flick of that famous oversized switch. That's scheduled to happen at 6pm ET / 5pm CT / 3pm PT, and at the top of every hour we'll get a countdown to midnight.
The main event is, of course, the Ball Drop itself, which will commence at 11.59pm ET / 10.59pm CT / 8.59pm PT and slam 2022 shut like a ginormous gleaming metaphor from up high.
An official Times Square webcast will be live streaming the event in its entirety, with Jonathan Bennett and Jeremy Hassell co-hosting on location, interviewing special guests and offering behind-the-scenes look at the festivities between live musical performances from acts including Chelsea Cutler, who'll be performing John Lennon’s “Imagine”, and JVKE.
From 8pm ET / 7pm CT / 5pm PT, however, ABC and CNN will muscle in on the action with their own live coverage from Times Square. ABC's Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest will feature performances from Wiz Khalifa, Ciara, Shaggy, Duran Duran, and J-Hope from BTS, while Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen will be front and center of CNN's New Year’s Eve Live show, which – if boozy – could get very lively indeed.
Featuring A-listers, D-listers, and everything in between, scroll down to find out how to watch a Ball Drop 2023 live stream from anywhere.
How to live stream Ball Drop 2023 for FREE
How to watch Ball Drop 2023 on US TV without cable
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How to watch Ball Drop 2023 from outside your country
If you're ringing in the New Year from abroad this year but fancy a taste of home, you might not be able to live stream Ball Drop 2023 as you would at home, due to annoying geo-restrictions.
However, you'll be able to get around any blocks by using a VPN or virtual private network. It's completely legal, very affordable, and easy to use - and it also encrypts your browsing, offering protection against cybercriminals and government snooping.
Use a VPN to watch Ball Drop 2023 from anywhere
