The New Yr’s Eve celebration in Instances Sq. — often known as the “Crossroads of the World” — is likely one of the most recognizable events. The annual finish of the yr celebration would not be full with out the confetti drop at midnight. Treb Heining is behind the spectacle and for greater than 30 years has led volunteers via a once-in-a-lifetime expertise.
Go confetti! Go confetti! Go confetti!
Earlier than the ultimate seconds of the yr are counted down and the Instances Sq. ball drops to its base, the New York Metropolis air will already be full of 3,000 kilos price of multi-colored confetti.
Every two-inch by two-inch sq. piece of tissue paper floating above the world’s largest New Yr’s Eve social gathering can have been launched by hand.
“We would like the confetti within the air by the point the ball is on the base and it’s a brand new yr,” mentioned Treb Heining, who has organized every Instances Sq. confetti drop since 1992. “So, when the stay feeds from world wide tune in, they already see the confetti blizzard.”
The colourful squall is produced by greater than 100 volunteers located at varied constructing setbacks and home windows surrounding One Instances Sq.. Every location has a crew chief who’s in communication with Heining via radio.
The bins of confetti, that are made in Pennsylvania, are delivered to their respective location two days earlier than New Yr’s Eve. Volunteers fortunate sufficient to have secured their spot for the year-end bucket-list expertise then attend an orientation the place they’re proven the best way to correctly and safely disperse the confetti.
“It’s an actual exercise when you do it accurately,” Heining mentioned. “You will get a variety of your aggressions from the yr out in doing the confetti.”
It’s an actual exercise when you do it accurately. You will get a variety of your aggressions from the yr out in doing the confetti.
Treb Heining
Dispersers get in place shortly earlier than midnight, excessive above the roughly a million individuals on the streets under.
“We often begin the confetti about 20 seconds earlier than midnight,” Heining mentioned. “That’s once I give the go.”
Because the clock ticks down, the ball descends, and the world watches, Heining raises his radio…
“Go confetti! Go confetti! Go confetti!”
‘The person who had the concept of balloons at events’
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/GettyImages
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/GettyImages Treb Heining is understood for having created the balloon decor trade.
Heining, regardless of his function because the New Yr’s confetti king, is best often known as the daddy of the balloon trade.
A lot in order that the California native even made an look on “Late Present with David Letterman” within the Nineties.
“That is wonderful,” Letterman mentioned. “That is the person who had the concept of balloons at events. Unbelievable, isn’t it?”
Heining’s first job, in 1969 when he was 15 years outdated, was at Disneyland the place he offered Mickey Mouse balloons.
“I realized the best way to tie balloons quick,” he mentioned with fun.
He turned that talent right into a lifelong profession, which finally led him from the Magic Kingdom to Instances Sq..
Heining, within the Nineteen Seventies, invented objects just like the ballon arch and balloon column. He began his firm Balloon Artwork by Treb in 1979, specializing in balloon décor for events and occasions.
The corporate, which started by designing balloon artwork for smaller occasions like mall openings, went on to supervise décor for large-scale spectacles just like the Opening Ceremony of the 1984 Summer season Olympics in Los Angeles, Tremendous Bowls, the Democratic and Republican Presidential Nationwide Conventions, Academy Award ceremonies and different marquee occasions.
Heining’s former employer took discover.
“Disneyland known as to do work contained in the park,” he mentioned, along with his firm happening to design balloon installments for the park’s attraction openings and celebrations.
Within the Nineties, Heining developed what he says is the best-selling balloon of all time: the theme parks’ in style Glasshouse Balloon, a clear-plastic balloon containing a big-eared Mickey balloon inside it.
The partnership between Disney and its former balloon vendor-turned-balloon king continues to at the present time.
“So,” he mentioned, “we now create balloons for all of the Disney parks worldwide.”
His different worldwide tasks usually took him to New York, the place within the early Nineties an organization known as the Enterprise Enchancment District of Instances Sq. – now the Instances Sq. Alliance — was launched to revitalize the world. He acquired a name from one of many heads of the corporate saying they’re in command of the ball drop and wish to do one thing to make the occasion extra particular.
“I mentioned, ‘Properly, confetti is a pure,’” Heining mentioned. “So, that’s how it began. We began again in 1992-1993, that New Yr’s, and it’s been a convention ever since.”
‘Goosebumps throughout my physique’
Heining was aware of confetti dispersal from his work on the Disney parks in Anaheim and Orlando.
However within the swirling winds of winter in Midtown Manhattan with a whole bunch of hundreds of individuals under?
“I had no concept how it could look,” he mentioned.
New Yr’s Eve had been celebrated in Instances Sq. since 1904, with the inaugural bash commemorating the opening of The New York Instances then headquarters. Instances Tower — located on a triangle of land on the intersection of seventh Avenue, Broadway and 42nd Road – turned the annual year-end celebration vacation spot.
The Instances Sq. ball was launched in 1907 within the type of a seven-hundred-pound iron and wooden ball lowered from the tower’s flagpole.
Confetti wasn’t used on New Yr’s Eve in Instances Sq. till 1992 when Heining introduced it to the social gathering.
“It was an enormous honor to only be concerned with the ball drop in Instances Sq.,” he mentioned. “I grew up with it, all of us did, watching it. And I keep in mind being very nervous that first yr, wanting it to go nicely.”
After which once I mentioned, ‘Go Confetti!’ and the primary confetti began hitting the air, the gang noise doubled once more. And it was like goosebumps throughout my physique.
Treb Heining
He recognized seven buildings in Instances Sq. the place he hoped to disperse the confetti, some from setbacks and others from home windows, and made the preparations with administration of every location.
“We did it by hand the very first yr,” he mentioned, saying confetti machines wouldn’t produce the identical quantity, timing or magic. “I mentioned, ‘Let’s do it easy and let’s have just a few individuals.’ So, we did it, and the vortex and the wind currents had been so nice. It was a smash success even the primary yr.”
Not like modern-day New Yr’s Eve celebrations in Instances Sq., Heining mentioned there have been no star-studded outside performances. No music. No audio system. Simply individuals, a clock and a constructing sense of anticipation for the stroke of midnight.
“They’re loud all evening, however rapidly, the gang noise doubles when the ball begins down,” he mentioned. “It’s exhausting to listen to your self suppose. After which once I mentioned, ‘Go Confetti!’ and the primary confetti began hitting the air, the gang noise doubled once more. And it was like goosebumps throughout my physique.”
‘Like getting tickets to the Masters in Georgia’
NBC New York
NBC New York Crews unload bins of confetti in Instances Sq. for New Yr’s Eve.
Roughly 70 bins, every full of about 45 kilos of confetti, are delivered to Instances Sq. each Dec. 29 – leaving the 30th as “an emergency day” for potential transport points.
“This can be my 34th yr and, knock on wooden, we’ve by no means had to make use of that emergency day but,” Heining mentioned.
The confetti is manufactured by The Beistle Firm in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania – a borough positioned over 200 miles southwest of Instances Sq.. It’s made from recycled tissue that’s one hundred pc biodegradable and flame retardant.
“We work on the colours with them over time,” Heining mentioned. “We loosen up a number of the darker colours in order that it seems higher. And now we have a mix now that appears actually good within the nighttime with the lights.”
The bins are unloaded from round 9 a.m. to midday and pushed via Instances Sq. to the designated buildings. The confetti is then faraway from its unique packaging, fluffed out and separated into round 130 bins — blended with hundreds of items of confetti with handwritten New Yr’s needs written on them from those that visited the Instances Sq. Wishing Wall.
These bins, days later, can be emptied by a crew of over 100 volunteers whose official title is “Confetti Dispersal Engineer.”
“We now have individuals from everywhere in the world that do that now,” Heining mentioned. “I’ve to say no yearly to a whole bunch and a whole bunch of individuals. So, it’s an actual bucket checklist for lots of people internationally.”
Candidates throughout the globe fill out the “Official Confetti Dispersal Engineer Request Type” on the web site makingmagicnye.com. Heining mentioned he retains the checklist of names in a folder and begins the choice course of round February. Engineers, a few of whom are returnees, are notified in July if they’ve been chosen for the upcoming New Yr’s Eve confetti drop.
“I take the oldest and work up the chain,” Heining mentioned. “We are able to solely say sure to about 30 or 40 individuals as a result of all people will get to deliver one particular person with them, and we will’t have a crew of greater than about 100 to 120 due to the house on the setbacks. It’s a really unique factor. It’s virtually like getting tickets to the Masters in Georgia.”
The confetti engineers accumulate their credentials on supply day then return to the identical location on New Yr’s Eve at 7 p.m. for an orientation assembly.
“There’s a roll name, the introduction of each single particular person and the place they’re from,” Heining mentioned. “Then we simply go step-by-step of what they’re going to be doing, the place they’re going to be going, who their crew chief is, and we undergo the best way to disperse the confetti accurately and safely.”
‘The most important group of sober individuals in Instances Sq.’
NBC New York
NBC New York Volunteers drop hundreds of kilos of confetti over Instances Sq. on New Yr’s Eve.
Engineers are instructed to launch a two-handed scoop of confetti like “you’re attempting to throw it throughout the road.”
“It’s one thing that I at all times say is a bodily violent act,” Heining mentioned with fun. “You’re taking a clump of confetti and throwing it as exhausting as you’ll be able to, getting one other and throwing it and throwing it and throwing it.”
The crew walks down 43rd Road earlier than separating into teams at seven separate areas, every led by a crew chief who’s in communication with Heining by radio, and wait for his or her cue. They take their positions on the constructing home windows or setbacks, the place bins of confetti are ready.
The primary dispersal happens at 10 p.m. when yellow and purple confetti is dropped for occasion sponsor Planet Health. Then extra watching the clock.
“The 11 o’clock hour is at all times very electrical as a result of the gang noise goes up at that time,” Heining mentioned. “We’re going via the ultimate setups and all that. I do a number of radio checks within the 11 o’clock hour. Then the custom has been because the yr 2000 that John Lennon’s tune ‘Think about’ begins, and when that tune begins, that’s once I give the ultimate standby to all my crew chiefs.”
The music in Instances Sq. on New Yr’s Eve has turn out to be a part of the soundtrack of Heining’s life. Set to show 72 in January, Heining was a music main in faculty. A resident of Newport Seaside in California, he rings in every New Yr on the alternative coast, usually occasions removed from his spouse and kids, whom he calls from Instances Sq. whereas that acquainted playlist blares within the background.
“It’s at all times the music for me,” he mentioned. “There’s at all times a lump in my throat. It’s exhausting for me to even discuss it now. ‘Outdated Lang Syne’ kicks in, after which Frank Sinatra’s ‘New York, New York.’ It’s only a very emotional evening for me. Nevertheless it’s at all times enjoyable. It’s at all times the best place to be for New Yr’s Eve.”
The confetti dispersal continues till about 30 seconds after midnight, and the items linger within the air nicely after so the crew can get photograph alternatives from their positions.
“At 12:01 we’re by far and away the most important group of sober individuals in Instances Sq.,” Heining mentioned, including that the crew has an after social gathering that begins at 1 a.m. with an open bar and open restaurant.
‘What did you do final New Yr’s?’
NBC New York
NBC New York Treb Heining making ready to offer the cue to launch the confetti in Instances Sq. on New Yr’s Eve.
The confetti course of is likely to be very comparable, however annually creates a distinct reminiscence for Heining.
“You ask a few of your pals, ‘Hey, what did you do final New Yr’s?’ And so they received’t keep in mind,” he mentioned. “However I can inform you precisely the place I used to be each New Yr’s Eve, and I hope to proceed doing it for a lot of extra years.”
His favourite yr thus far was when the calendar flipped from 1999 to 2000, and the brand new millennium was celebrated in Instances Sq. each hour from 6 a.m. within the morning to six a.m. the next morning because the New Yr started world wide. There was pink confetti for Japan, silver confetti for London and so forth.
“There was a particular impact for each nation as they celebrated New Yr’s,” Heining mentioned. “I’ll always remember it. It was only a actually, actually spectacular yr.”
Final yr, Heining’s crew at his location dropped all inexperienced confetti, the favourite colour of his pal Tommy DeLorenzo, who died in October 2024.
“We began with the one constructing in honor of him, and it was actually particular,” Heining mentioned. “We had by no means completed something like that earlier than.”
This yr will embrace a post-midnight drop of two,000 kilos of purple, white and blue confetti at 12:04 a.m. to rejoice the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence signing.
“We’ll be doing one thing a bit of new this yr that’s by no means been completed earlier than,” Heining mentioned.
However simply earlier than midnight, Heining will do precisely as he’s completed for the final 33 years.
Because the clock ticks down, the ball descends, and the world watches, he’ll as soon as once more elevate his radio….
“Go confetti! Go confetti! Go confetti!”
