- Title: 10,9,8.... the '20' numerals arrive in New York's Times Square
- Date: 11th December 2019
- Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 11, 2019) (REUTERS) COUNTDOWN TO THE LIGHTS COMING ON FOR THE '20' NUMERAL IN TIMES SQUARE DURING PRESENTATION AHEAD OF DECEMBER 31ST BALL DROP / CROWDS TIMES SQUARE / '20' BEING DRIVEN TO PRESENTATION VARIOUS OF ARRIVAL OF '20' NUMERAL MEDIA / WORKERS WITH NUMERAL VARIOUS MORE OF WORKERS WITH NUMERAL SETTING IT UP FOR PRESENTATION (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRESIDENT OF COUNTDOWN ENTERTAINMENT, JEFFREY STRAUS, SAYING: "We've been working all year preparing for New Year's Eve, but the countdown really starts today with 20 days to go, the seven-foot numerals arrived here in Times Square and we are counting down to the big day on December 31st. We'll have hundreds of people working here with us. We've got great performances planned. 'Ex Ambassador' is going to be headlining, but we're have a whole lineup that we're going to talk about later in the year." TIMES SQUARE / POSING IN FRONT OF NUMERAL PHOTO WITH SMART PHONE / POSING VARIOUS OF WOMAN POSING WITH '2020' GLASSES, SAYING (NOT A SOUNDBITE): "MAYBE I'LL GET 2020 VISION THIS YEAR'" (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRESIDENT OF COUNTDOWN ENTERTAINMENT, JEFFREY STRAUS, SAYING: "Well, what's great about New Year's Eve is the tradition of a ball coming down a pole is a maritime tradition that people have been doing for years. We like that ball at midnight to mark the beginning of a new year and we've been doing it for over 100 years. And we'll continue to do it for the next decade, for the next century, and into the next millennium. It's something, it's a part of Americana and over 180 million people will count down with us here in America. That's remarkable. I can't think of another time when you have that many people doing the same thing at the same time filled with joy and hope for the future. It's a magical moment." "NEW YEAR'S EVE WISHING WALL" VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WRITING WISHES / WALL WITH MESSAGES (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRESIDENT OF COUNTDOWN ENTERTAINMENT, JEFFREY STRAUS, SAYING: "I love it because, you know, I always get this question every decade. For me, the new decade begins on January 1st, 2020. But I also get, you know, is it 2020 or is it like two thousand and 20? How do you talk about it? I'm 2020, new decade. We're ready to go." PLAZA WITH NUMERAL / TIMES SQUARE
- Embargoed: 25th December 2019 17:50
- Keywords: New Year's Eve Times Square countdown numeral
- Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- City: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Living / Lifestyle,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001B9J83T3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: It's December, which means planning is underway in New York's Times Square for New Year's Eve. And with 20 days to go before the iconic ball drop, the numerals '20' were presented during a ceremony in Times Square Plaza Wednesday (December 11).
The new numbers of course will join the original '20' already in place from prior years.
Spectators on hand for the ceremony were already donning '2020' glasses.
The four numerals representing the year will use a total of 618 9-watt energy efficient LED bulbs, according to the Times Square Alliance. They each measure seven feet in height.
"180 million people will count down with us here in America. That's remarkable," Jeffrey Strauss, the president of Countdown Entertainment, told Reuters. "I can't think of another time when you have that many people doing the same thing at the same time filled with joy and hope for the future. It's a magical moment."
(Production by: Dan Fastenberg and Hussein al Waaile) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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