The annual ball drop, a hefty police presence and live musical performances will be some familiar practices at Times Square on New Year's Eve this year. But for the first time in a decade, a New York City mayor won't attend the countdown, the Associated Press reported.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who attended every other celebration during his tenure, mingling with celebrities and receiving a peck on the cheek from Lady Gaga, said he's sitting out Tuesday's festivities to spend time with family and friends.
Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio will be busy being sworn into office at a private ceremony at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday at his Brooklyn home, with the full inauguration beginning at noon at City Hall, the AP reported.
The final 60-second countdown and the push of the ceremonial button to signal the descent of the Times Square New Year's Eve ball will instead be done by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a New York City native.
"She is an inspiration to everyone determined to achieve their dreams in 2014," said Jeffrey Straus, president of Countdown Entertainment, which runs the event.
The streets in midtown Manhattan are expected to be packed by about 1 million people to see the crystal ball drop and have the countdown to 2014, organizers said.
Ryan Seacrest will host the countdown show from Times Square, with Melissa Etheridge, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Miley Cyrus, Icona Pop and Blondie among the musical guests, the AP reported.
One ton of confetti will drop along with the ball when the clock strikes 12 a.m.
According to the AP, temperatures are expected to be in the mid-20s, and people are encouraged to dress warmly and bring layers. Eager merrymakers often arrive hours early to get a good spot to view the show - but that means staying put behind metal police pens. There are no bathrooms and once people leave, they can't come back to their spot. Backpacks are checked by the police and no alcohol is allowed.
The New York Police Department assigns thousands of extra patrols to festivities each year to control the crowd and watch for any signs of trouble. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly stressed that there are no specific terror threats related to a celebration televised across the globe.
"You know, we devote a lot of police officers, plus there are a lot of other events that are happening throughout the city that will be policed, as well. So I think we're in good shape," Kelly said, referring to shows in Brooklyn and other events.
Visitors will see bomb-sniffing dogs and heavily armed counterterrorism teams. Rooftop patrols and NYPD helicopters will keep an eye on the crowd as well. Plainclothes officers are assigned to blend into the crowd, the AP reported.
After the show, sanitation crews will get to work cleaning up the celebration, working through the night to rid the area of an estimated 50 tons of confetti, party hats and other remainders of the celebration.
