The New Yr’s Eve celebration in Occasions Sq. — also called the “Crossroads of the World” — is among 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 by means of 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 Occasions Sq. ball drops to its base, the New York Metropolis air will already be stuffed with 3,000 kilos value 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 occasion can have been launched by hand.
“We wish 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 Occasions Sq. confetti drop since 1992. “So, when the dwell feeds from all over the world tune in, they already see the confetti blizzard.”
The colourful squall is produced by greater than 100 volunteers located at numerous constructing setbacks and home windows surrounding One Occasions Sq.. Every location has a crew chief who’s in communication with Heining by means of radio.
The containers 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 tips on how to correctly and safely disperse the confetti.
“It’s an actual exercise for those who do it accurately,” Heining mentioned. “You will get a number of your aggressions from the yr out in doing the confetti.”
It’s an actual exercise for those who do it accurately. You will get a number 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 beneath.
“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 thought 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 generally 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 Nineteen Nineties.
“That is wonderful,” Letterman mentioned. “That is the person who had the thought of balloons at events. Unbelievable, isn’t it?”
Heining’s first job, in 1969 when he was 15 years previous, was at Disneyland the place he bought Mickey Mouse balloons.
“I discovered tips on how to tie balloons quick,” he mentioned with amusing.
He turned that ability right into a lifelong profession, which in the end led him from the Magic Kingdom to Occasions Sq..
Heining, within the Seventies, invented gadgets 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 occurring to design balloon installments for the park’s attraction openings and celebrations.
Within the Nineteen 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 Nineteen Nineties an organization known as the Enterprise Enchancment District of Occasions Sq. – now the Occasions 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 want 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 lot of 1000’s of individuals beneath?
“I had no thought how it could look,” he mentioned.
New Yr’s Eve had been celebrated in Occasions Sq. since 1904, with the inaugural bash commemorating the opening of The New York Occasions then headquarters. Occasions 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 Occasions 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 Occasions Sq. till 1992 when Heining introduced it to the occasion.
“It was an enormous honor to only be concerned with the ball drop in Occasions 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 properly.”
After which once I mentioned, ‘Go Confetti!’ and the primary confetti began hitting the air, the group noise doubled once more. And it was like goosebumps throughout my physique.
Treb Heining
He recognized seven buildings in Occasions 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 a number of individuals.’ So, we did it, and the vortex and the wind currents have been so nice. It was a smash success even the primary yr.”
Not like modern-day New Yr’s Eve celebrations in Occasions 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 night time, however unexpectedly, the group noise doubles when the ball begins down,” he mentioned. “It’s laborious to listen to your self suppose. After which once I mentioned, ‘Go Confetti!’ and the primary confetti began hitting the air, the group 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 containers of confetti in Occasions Sq. for New Yr’s Eve.
Roughly 70 containers, every stuffed with about 45 kilos of confetti, are delivered to Occasions Sq. each Dec. 29 – leaving the 30th as “an emergency day” for potential delivery 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 situated over 200 miles southwest of Occasions Sq.. It’s product of recycled tissue that’s one hundred pc biodegradable and flame retardant.
“We work on the colours with them through the years,” Heining mentioned. “We loosen up a number of the darker colours in order that it seems to be higher. And we’ve got a mix now that appears actually good within the nighttime with the lights.”
The containers are unloaded from round 9 a.m. to midday and pushed by means of Occasions Sq. to the designated buildings. The confetti is then faraway from its authentic packaging, fluffed out and separated into round 130 containers — combined with 1000’s of items of confetti with handwritten New Yr’s needs written on them from those that visited the Occasions Sq. Wishing Wall.
These containers, days later, can be emptied by a crew of over 100 volunteers whose official title is “Confetti Dispersal Engineer.”
“We’ve got individuals from all around the world that do that now,” Heining mentioned. “I’ve to say no yearly to a whole lot and a whole lot 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 will solely say sure to about 30 or 40 individuals as a result of everyone will get to carry one particular person with them, and we will’t have a crew of greater than about 100 to 120 due to the area on the setbacks. It’s a really unique factor. It’s virtually like getting tickets to the Masters in Georgia.”
The confetti engineers acquire 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 tips on how to disperse the confetti accurately and safely.”
‘The biggest group of sober individuals in Occasions Sq.’
NBC New York
NBC New York Volunteers drop 1000’s of kilos of confetti over Occasions Sq. on New Yr’s Eve.
Engineers are instructed to launch a two-handed scoop of confetti like “you’re making an attempt to throw it throughout the road.”
“It’s one thing that I at all times say is a bodily violent act,” Heining mentioned with amusing. “You take a clump of confetti and throwing it as laborious as you possibly can, 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 places, 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 containers 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 group noise goes up at that time,” Heining mentioned. “We’re going by means of the ultimate setups and all that. I do a number of radio checks within the 11 o’clock hour. Then the custom has been for the reason that 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 Occasions Sq. on New Yr’s Eve has change into 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 Seashore in California, he rings in every New Yr on the other coast, usually occasions removed from his spouse and youngsters, whom he calls from Occasions 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 laborious for me to even discuss it now. ‘Previous Lang Syne’ kicks in, after which Frank Sinatra’s ‘New York, New York.’ It’s only a very emotional night time for me. But it surely’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 properly after so the crew can get picture alternatives from their positions.
“At 12:01 we’re by far and away the biggest group of sober individuals in Occasions Sq.,” Heining mentioned, including that the crew has an after occasion 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 provide the cue to launch the confetti in Occasions Sq. on New Yr’s Eve.
The confetti course of could be very comparable, however annually creates a unique reminiscence for Heining.
“You ask a few of your folks, ‘Hey, what did you do final New Yr’s?’ They usually gained’t keep in mind,” he mentioned. “However I can let you know 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 up to now was when the calendar flipped from 1999 to 2000, and the brand new millennium was celebrated in Occasions Sq. each hour from 6 a.m. within the morning to six a.m. the next morning because the New Yr started all over the world. 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 coloration of his good friend 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 performed something like that earlier than.”
This yr will embrace a post-midnight drop of two,000 kilos of pink, white and blue confetti at 12:04 a.m. to have a good time the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence signing.
“We’ll be doing one thing just a little new this yr that’s by no means been performed earlier than,” Heining mentioned.
However simply earlier than midnight, Heining will do precisely as he’s performed for the final 33 years.
Because the clock ticks down, the ball descends, and the world watches, he’ll as soon as once more increase his radio….
“Go confetti! Go confetti! Go confetti!”
