The gloomy and misty weather didn’t deter thousands from flooding Times Square to watch the ball drop for the first unrestricted New Year’s Eve party since 2020.
The massive annual extravaganza was the first in two years to have zero COVID-19-related restrictions – no masks, no vaccines and no social distancing.
The lift on limited capacity rules meant the popular tourist destination was packed again with revelers eager to get back to normal.
Most had packed into the midtown square early Saturday morning to claim their prime spots.
Michelle Strunk, 48, of Shickshinny, PA, told The Post she had come prepared for the hours-long wait — after watching the ball drop for the first time when she was 19 years old.
She, her husband and her two sons packed their pockets with granola bars and water, but the boys declined to follow her lead and wear a diaper.
“I guarantee 75 percent of people have one on,” she speculated. “Listen I’ve cranked out two kids … It’s only for emergency purposes. I don’t plan on using it but it’s only there for emergency purposes.”
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Jurate Samiene, 59, and husband Rimas Samis, 62, of Branford, Connecticut planted their feet at 7 a.m. and abstained from eating or drinking all day to celebrate their third time at the event.
“We decided to put our minds to come here and come to Times Square. Rain or not, it doesn’t matter. We decided rain is better than cold,” Samiene told The Post.
But for others, the wait wasn’t so easy.
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Pearl Vaval, a 63-year-old Bronx resident and MTA bus operator, claimed her spot at 7 a.m. to watch the ball drop for the first time since moving to the city 39 years ago.
“It’s on my wish list and never again,” Vaval told The Post. “I’m too old. I can’t stand here for too long.”
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Vaval said she “sacrificed” drinking water all day to cross the feat off her bucket list, but is looking forward to starting the new year off by making new friends.
“I’m just enjoying life right now at my age … Every day is like a gift,” she told The Post.
Samiene said her resolutions for the new year were to “do better in everything… and of course, peace in the world.”
The New Year’s Eve revelers were treated to a number of live performances throughout the night, featuring a lineup of Chelsea Cutler, JVKE, Ava Max, Osmani Garcia, New Edition, Chesca and Duran Duran.
Just before the strike of midnight, Cutler performed a rendition of John Lennon’s “Imagine” that had thousands singing along as they welcomed 2023.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams was given the honor of pushing the button starting the 60-second descent of the Waterford Crystal New Year’s ball, complete with neon lights and fireworks as the crowd roared the final countdown.
A few notes of the New Year’s classic ballad “Auld Land Syne” played on the loudspeakers as partiers shared smooches before blasting Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” as confetti rained down.
