New Years Countdown LIVE : Event Schedule on New Year's Eve

Impact

New Year’s Eve 2013 is only three days away, and there are plenty of festivities to plan around.

The major attraction will be countdown to the famous ball drop in Times Square, which attracts crowds of over one million viewers and is watched annually by over one billion people. (You read that right!) The ball will be raised at 6 PM, and the countdown to the drop will begin at... well, you already know that part.

Those willing to brave the terrible cold, bumper-to-bumper traffic, and insufferable tourists to watch the drop in person will have to contend with movement restrictions and blocked-off entrances. Those coming from south of Times Square can enter at 37th St and 7th Ave or Broadway, or 38th St at 8th or 6th Ave. Coming from north of 43rd St, access is granted through 49th, 52nd, 58th and 59th at 6th and 8th Ave, 54th and 6th Ave, 55th and 8th Ave, 57th and 7th Ave or Broadway. If that gets confusing - and it WILL - bug a cop. There will be more of them than you have ever seen in your life.

Performers in Times Square will include Train, Neon Trees, Carlie Rae Jepsen, Taylor Swift, and Psy of “Gangnam Style,” with the most prominent coverage coming from the dueling titans of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest (broadcast 10 PM to 2:05 AM on ABC from Times Square) and New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly (10 PM to 12:30 AM on NBC from Times Square, with musical performances being aired from Rockefeller Plaza).

Can’t watch it on TV? The 2013 Times Square Ball App is available for download for iOS via iTunes and Android via Google Play. No matter which platform you choose, both offer a live 6-hour stream of the celebrations with no commercial coverage – classy.

TimesSquareNYC.org will be offering a web cast of the ball drop from 6 PM EST until 12:15 AM, after which you'll presumably have to find another way of watching the ongoing coverage.