Security has always been tight in Times Square during New Year's Eve but this year, New York City was on high-security alert after threats of counterterrorism and the months-long protests over racial discrimination, Newsweek reported. However, the tightened security did not stop the multitude of New Yorkers to flock the major commercial intersection in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.  

Way back in 1907, people from all over the world have gathered in Times Square to celebrate New Year's Eve with the dropping of the infamous giant crystal ball. Although the ball has changed, which was originally made of iron, wood and a hundred 25-watt light bulbs, Yahoo! News reported that the celebration is the same but got even bigger using the six-ton, Waterford crystal ball covered in 32,276 LED lights.

Before the New Year's Eve celebration kicked off, thousands of partygoers have already flooded Times Square on Wednesday night. Despite the chilly weather, throngs of New Yorkers join the merriments that included performances by the USO Show Troupe, Idina Menzel and Taylor Swift.

On Wednesday morning, several people have arrived early to secure their spots at the famed Midtown Manhattan crossroads for the annual celebration. According to NBC News New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio, along with his wife and two kids, pushed the ceremonial button that set the Waterford crystal ball in motion. While Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" blared loudly, partygoers who wore pink foam hats and waving pink balloons exchanged good wishes and danced.

"American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest hosted the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square, as reported by CBS New York. And when the clock struck midnight, a ton of confetti containing well wishes for the upcoming year dropped along with the crystal ball.  

Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin were also among the other famous personalities hosting live shows. As stated by The Daily Mail, Copper and Griffin reported for CNN, Carson Daly while Ken Marino and Chrissy Teigen for NBC.

Meanwhile, as tens of thousands of merrymakers assembled in Times Square for the New Year's Eve celebration, authorities were bracing for renewed protests over excessive force by police, surpassing a year of tension over racial discrimination issues across the US. While security is always tight at the well-known Manhattan junctures, Reuters said extra precautions were taken on Wednesday to prevent violence during the annual celebration.  

While for many, the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square is an event to ring in 2015, for some it was a blissful farewell to an unhappy 12 months. Whereas others took advantage of the famous occasion to march and protest the recent surge of police killings.