The Latest: Times Square New Year ‘a beautiful experience

The Latest on the New Year’s Eve celebration in New York’s Times Square (all times local):

New Year’s reveler Colleen Keenan says the celebration in frigid Times Square is “a beautiful experience” and “there’s nothing like it.”

Kennan and her son braved temperatures of only 10 degrees (minus 12 degrees Celsius) to ring in 2018 in Times Square.

With a burst of confetti and fireworks, throngs of revelers celebrated the arrival of 2018 as the glittering crystal ball dropped.

Fireworks erupt as the clock strikes midnight during the New Year’s celebration in Times Square as seen from the Marriott Marquis in New York, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. (Seth Wenig/Associated Press)
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Midnight

With a burst of confetti and fireworks, throngs of revelers have ushered in 2018 in a frigid Times Square as the glittering crystal ball dropped.

It was the second-coldest on record. The temperature was only 10 degrees (minus 12 degrees Celsius) in New York City at midnight. The coldest ball drop celebration was in 1917, when it was only 1 degree (minus 17 degrees Celsius).
Partygoers bundled up in extra layers, wearing warm hats and face masks, dancing and jogging in place to ward off the cold.

There was also tighter security than ever after two terrorist attacks and a rampaging SUV driver who plowed into a crowd on the very spot where the party takes place. The party went off with no major problems.

“Auld Lang Syne” and “New York, New York” played as the crowds cheered.

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11:50 p.m.

Mariah Carey has made it through her set on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” this year after bungling it last year.

Carey had technical difficulties during a live performance of her hit song “Emotions” on the ABC show in Times Square last year. She stopped singing, paced the stage and told the audience to finish the lyrics for her.