coronavirus new york city

Easy cleanup in NYC after nearly empty 2021 ball drop in Times Square

Friday, January 1, 2021

Times Square cleanup underway after mostly empty celebration into 2021

Diana Rocco has more on the Times Square celebration.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The crew to clean up after the performances and ball drop for New Year's Eve is the busiest Times Square has been in the past 24 hours.

Crews disassembled the stage and collected the thousands of pounds of confetti that fell on an empty Broadway to ring in 2021 in New York City.

There would normally be nearly a million people packing the streets.

Musical acts rocked on TV, but this time it was before an empty Crossroads of the Worlds.

There was a small crowd of dozens by invite only.

RELATED | Watch as Bill Ritter reflects on 2020 and why it must not be forgotten:

After a tough year filled with pain and loss, Bill Ritter shares why 2020 is one we should never forget.

An estimated 1 billion people watched the celebration around the world.

Mayor Bill de Blasio was on hand to initiate the ball drop alongside his wife.

Some people did try to get in past the police barricade, even bringing officers pizza, but they weren't successful.

For the first time, the police perimeter was keeping people out for blocks instead of keep crowds in.

Yankees star Alex Rodriguez, stood next to Jennifer Lopez, the night's headline performer, and became emotional as he summed up the year.

"It's been such an incredible tough year for so many people. And I'm just happy for Jennifer to be able to bring us down with such a great moment with the family. A little bit more intimate. A little bit different. But very thankful and grateful," he said.

In Las Vegas, thousands took to the streets not social distancing and many not wearing masks to watch the fireworks in front of the Plaza Hotel and Casino.

The Freemont Street experience was by wristband only, but the rest of the public gathered on Main Street to watch the fireworks.

There were 39 families in attendance in Times Square for the festivities, but it was by invite only. The families were made up of health care workers and other heroes of 2020.

Police want to identify the group of bicyclists caught on surveillance video who surrounded a BMW and attacked the vehicle with the driver inside at 21st and 5th in Flatiron, NYC.