The famous Times Square ball dropped at midnight to say hello to the new year, as revelers packed the Crossroads of the World to enjoy the countdown to 2017.
The crowd, which began filing in at around 5 a.m. Saturday, included visitors from the Czech Republic, Thailand, Austria, Canada, as well as closer locales like Texas, California, and Ohio.
"I just think it's a really cool way to celebrate, and the more bad things that happen, the more you want to make good out of the good things," said one woman in Times Square. "And this is just a fun way to celebrate with millions of others people."
Law enforcement started placing people behind barricade pens around 8:30 a.m., and the pens filled up to nearly 50th Street. The city expected to have 2 million people to ring in 2017 on the streets in the area.
"Coming to New York is one thing, but coming to New York for New Year's is something iconic, it's completely different," said one person in Times Square. "Me and my cousin, we just graduated nursing school. So let's celebrate."
Folks who were in Times Square early were treated to a ball drop test to make sure there were no glitches with the 32,000 LED lights and 2,700 Waterford crystals.
Police closed off trash receptacles to prevent explosives from being placed inside.
The security was described as unprecedented, with 7,000 police officers, including counterterrorism teams and bomb-sniffing dogs.
For the first time ever in Times Square, 65 sanitation trucks filled with sand were used to prevent a potential truck attack like the ones in Europe, most recently in Berlin, where terrorists killed and injured dozens of people.
Officials said there were not any specific or credible threats to Times Square, but they did not take any chances.
The city police department also enforced strict rules: no alcohol, no umbrellas, backpacks, or large bags.