It’s almost time for America250 — the official celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding on the Fourth of July.

The annual Macy’s fireworks show isn’t the only event happening in New York City to commemorate the occasion. Here’s everything New Yorkers should know about festivities happening around the five boroughs. 

Times Square Ball Drop

A sight normally reserved for New Year’s Eve will be present during America250 celebrations: the iconic Times Square Ball Drop.

The ball won’t drop only once this time, though. It will drop eight times for the first time in history. Each drop will mark midnight in every U.S. time zone, and each time zone has its own special ball design, according to organizers.

The first ball drop is scheduled for 10 a.m. on July 3. NY1 will bring viewers live coverage of the midnight ball drop.

The last drop will happen at 7 a.m. on July 4.

Sail4th 250

On July 4, more than 40 tall ships representing 20 countries will sail past a fleet of anchored allied and U.S. naval vessels along the Hudson River during the International Parade of Sail, which begins at 9:30 a.m. It’s expected to be “the largest maritime and aerial gathering in American history,” according to organizers.

The ships will sail under the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and past the Statue of Liberty, then head up the river to the George Washington Bridge. Organizers said it’s expected to take the fleet around two-and-a-half hours.

A viewing party will be held on Governors Island, with VIP tickets sold out and general admission costing $200 per person. For more information, click here.

Spectators can line up along the Hudson River. Anyone interested in following the ships can do so on AquaMap, which tracks vessels in real time.

People can also register for a free spectator anchorage if they own a boat and want to watch the parade from the waters. To learn how to register, click here.

During the sail, more than 150 aircraft will fly overhead, led by the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels, according to organizers.

The tall ships will be docked in the harbor from July 5 through July 7 for free public viewing. Viewers must make a reservation by clicking here.

Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest

On the corner of Surf and Stillwell avenues in Coney Island, competitors will challenge themselves to see how many hot dogs they can eat during Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Pre-show festivities begin at 9:50 a.m. with musical and other performances, according to Major League Eating. The women’s championship kicks off at 11 a.m., while the men’s championship starts at 12:30 p.m.

Anyone wanting to spectate the competition can take a D, F, Q or N train to the Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue station, drive or take a B36 bus to Surf and Stillwell avenues, a B64 bus to Mermaid and Stillwell avenues, a B68 bus to Stillwell Terminal or a B82 bus to Mermaid and Stillwell avenues, Major League Eating says. 

The reigning champions are Joey Chestnut, who consumed 70 and a half hot dogs in 10 minutes, and Miki Sudo, who downed 33 hot dogs in 10 minutes.

Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks

The celebration of America’s 250th anniversary will continue into the night with the 50th annual Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks. This year, fireworks will be launched from three different locations — the lower East River in the Seaport District, the lower Hudson River and the Brooklyn Bridge, according to organizers.

For anyone who wants to watch the fireworks outside, there will be ticketed areas in Brooklyn Bridge Park and at The Seaport.

New York City opened a lottery for 100,000 free tickets to watch the fireworks. The lottery, which can be found here, will end on June 29, according to Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Anyone watching the fireworks in the ticketed areas will be subject to a search. Items that are banned include alcohol, backpacks, blankets, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, drones, duffel bags, large bags, large coolers, large packages, lawn chairs, motorized scooters, umbrellas and weapons.

There will also be non-ticketed viewing areas along the FDR Drive. More information on those areas will be announced at a later date.

Watch the full Spectrum News special, “Countdown to America 250,” airing on Friday, July 3 at 11:40 p.m. on NY1.