The countdown has begun, not just for the New Year,  but also for the city's biggest street party of the year — the huge gathering that will take place in Times Square. It looks relatively quiet Thursday afternoon at the crossroads of the world. But just hours from now, it will look something like this.

"People make the pilgrimage from all around the world," said President of the Times Square Alliance Tim Tompkins. "This is like a six-hour advertisement for New York City. It's s major driver of the tourism economy. Because it tells everybody what a great city we are and how welcoming we are."

A sea of humanity will be here will be here to ring in the New Year all eyes fixed on the nearly six-ton New Year's Eve ball with almost 27,000 Waterford crystal panels and more than 32,000 LED lights. That's one bright star.

"Waterford adorns those wonderful crystal panels that are on the ball," said Times Square Alliance Vice President of Events and Programming Gary Winkler. "This year we have 288 new panels. The gift of wonder. It talks about good messaging for the year ahead."

Security is tight, so if you're coming don't bring bags, or booze. But you may want to bring something you probably haven't thought about.

"A spare battery," Winkler reminded revelers. "One of those portable batteries for your cellphone because you are going to be taking pictures all night, singing and dancing, sending stuff throughout, but yeah, minimize what you bring to the square here today.

"Police will be confiscating mostly everything and just bring yourself and be ready to have fun that's basically what we are doing."

The ball drop lasts only a minute, but the event has evolved into a six-hour long party with marquee entertainment, to keep everyone occupied while waiting for the big moment.

"Charlie Puth, Wiz Khalifa, Carrie Underwood, Demi Lovato, Luke Bryan and just before midnight our headliner Jessie Jaye is going to bring down the house with her rendition of John Lennon's Imagine," Winkler said. "It brings everyone together."

If you can't make it to Times Square or maybe huddling together with a bunch of strangers isn't your thing. Don't worry. One billion people around the world will watch it all happen on television, including right here on NY1.