NYC: See Yourself on a Times Square Billboard for 24 Hours

Big-city fame lasts 15 seconds. For $150, you can place a photo or short video on a giant Times Square billboard, then see it appear once every hour for 24 hours. I especially like the easy upload process and the fact that you can share a live stream with family anywhere. The main catch is simple: 15 seconds goes quickly, and your first showing might land at an awkward hour, even 1 a.m.

This is less a sightseeing tour than a carefully timed New York surprise. It works beautifully for birthdays, engagements, anniversaries, graduations, family trips, and tributes. The billboard sits above the Pelé store at 1560 Broadway, across from the TKTS red steps, so you are right in the middle of Times Square’s famous glare and commotion. Finding that exact screen can take patience, though, especially in the crowd.

Key points at a glance

• Your image appears every hour for 24 hours: You receive 15 seconds per showing, with at least 22 guaranteed showtimes in case of technical trouble.
• One ticket can cover a group photo: There is no stated limit to the number of people in one image, while separate photos require separate tickets.
• The TKTS steps make a useful landmark: Look above the Pelé store at 1560 Broadway, between 46th and 47th Streets.
• The upload is the real booking step: Your slot is not reserved until you submit the photo or video using the code from your purchase.
• The live stream adds value: Friends and family who are not in New York can watch online, though glare can make the web image hard to see.
• Special frames add a personal touch: Choose a standard frame or a message such as Happy Birthday, Congratulations, or Will you marry me?

What you are really buying in Times Square

Times Square is already a giant public screen. This experience gives you a tiny piece of it.

For 15 seconds at a time, your selected photo or video appears on a billboard above the Pelé store. The display repeats every hour across a full 24-hour period. That repetition matters. If you arrive late, miss one showing, or need to wait through a few other advertisements, you get another chance.

The experience has a clear emotional payoff. A child sees their face over Broadway. A parent surprises a teenager on a birthday. A couple shares an engagement image during a New York weekend. The screen is not a private presentation, and you will share the street with thousands of people, but that public setting is the point.

I like that this is not limited to one kind of celebration. The supplied options include birthday and congratulations frames, as well as a marriage proposal frame. The same format can also mark a family milestone or remember someone who has died. One family used it as a tribute on the anniversary of a mother’s passing, then shared the livestream with relatives around the world.

Before the display: choose the right image

After you purchase, you receive a code for uploading your material. Do this promptly. Your time slot is not held until the photo or video has been submitted, so buying the experience alone does not finish the process.

You can change your file, but the change must be requested at least 24 hours before the display date, and the original file must not have appeared yet. That rule gives you some room to fix a mistake, but it is not a reason to wait until the last minute.

A single group photo can include everyone in your party. There is no stated cap on the number of people in one image. If each person wants a separate photo or video, each person needs a ticket. For most families, one well-designed group image is the better value.

You can add one custom frame per photo and include a short line of text. Keep the words brief and easy to read. A long message will be competing with the bright signs, moving crowds, and a 15-second display window.

Your file cannot contain watermarks, brands, logos, nudity, smoking, or vulgar material. A logo, QR code, web link, or anything that looks like an advertisement can also be rejected. Even social media links for independent professionals are not accepted. This is designed as a personal celebration, not a cheap advertising board.

The 24-hour schedule and the 15-second reality

The display runs on the selected date, once every hour. You are told your assigned times within 24 hours, which lets you plan your visit and tell people when to watch online.

The schedule is the one part that needs careful attention. One person wanted to see the first showing and found it began at 1 a.m. That is not an ideal opening act after a long day in New York. You do not need to attend every showing, but check the full schedule before promising a particular moment to a child, partner, or parent.

The display lasts 15 seconds. That is enough time for a strong photo, a simple collage, or a very short video. It is not enough for a long message or a complicated sequence. One person wished for a 30-second showing, while another family waited around and caught the image three times.

You are guaranteed 22 showings within the 24-hour period if technical problems occur. The advertised rhythm is hourly, but the guarantee is slightly lower than 24 appearances. I would treat the repeated showings as your safety net, not as a reason to ignore the assigned time.

Pay attention to time zones if you are coordinating with relatives elsewhere. One booking came from someone in the Midwest who pointed out that New York is an hour ahead. Tell your online audience the exact New York time, not only the date.

Finding 1560 Broadway in the Times Square crowd

The address is 1560 Broadway, between West 46th and West 47th Streets. The billboard is above the Pelé store and directly across from the TKTS red steps.

That sounds easy. Times Square can still make it surprisingly hard.

The exact screen is surrounded by tall buildings, bright signs, street performers, pedestrians, and other large displays. A few people had trouble locating it, and one person found map navigation unhelpful among the buildings. Give yourself extra time rather than arriving at the assigned minute.

The TKTS steps are your best visual reference. Stand across from them and look toward the Pelé store. The screen can be viewed from Broadway, and the location is wheelchair accessible. You do not need a special meeting with staff or a guided walk through Times Square. The experience is built around getting yourself to the correct public screen.

Once you have found it, take a photo or video of the person looking up at the billboard. The display is high enough that you will want to frame both the face and the screen. A little preparation helps, since 15 seconds disappears fast.

Watching online from home

The livestream is one of the strongest parts of the package. Your family does not have to be in New York to share the moment.

Send the assigned time to parents, friends, or relatives before the display date. The person being surprised can be in Times Square while everyone else watches from home. This was especially useful for a birthday and for a family tribute shared across several places.

There is one limitation. The livestream image may suffer from glare. One person found the web view difficult to see much of the time and had a better experience standing in Times Square. That makes the livestream a useful extra, not a perfect substitute for being there.

If your main goal is for someone to clearly see their own face, be present at the billboard if you can. If your main goal is to include distant relatives, the livestream gives the purchase a wider reach than the street display alone.

How the photo looks on the big screen

The screen is large enough for a collage to work. One family used six pictures in a single design and found that the images were still clear. That is a good clue for families who cannot choose just one favorite moment.

Still, simplicity is safer. A single portrait, a clean family photo, or a short video will be easier to recognize from street level. A crowded collage may look fine on your phone but become harder to read amid Times Square’s visual noise.

Think about contrast. Bright backgrounds, small text, and busy clothing may lose impact against the billboard’s own changing light. The supplied information does not set out technical image specifications, so use a clear, high-quality file and avoid tiny details.

The frame can provide the message. A birthday frame, for example, may do more work than a sentence squeezed across the image. If you add text, keep it short enough to read during one quick showing.

The best occasions for this experience

This works best when the billboard is part of a larger surprise.

For a child’s birthday, arrange to be near the screen at one of the assigned times, then watch for the reaction. The experience has been used for 10th, 13th, 16th, and 17th birthdays, as well as a 40th and an 80th. That broad age range tells you something useful: the fun comes from the surprise, not from being a particular age.

It also suits engagements and bachelorette trips. An engagement photo in Times Square gives a New York trip a very specific memory, especially when the couple does not know it is coming.

Anniversaries and memorials require a little more thought. A photo on a public billboard may feel joyful, tender, or both. The format can be meaningful, but make sure the person or family involved would appreciate such a public tribute.

For a group, use one image if the aim is to celebrate together. Buy separate tickets only when individual appearances matter. At $150 per person, multiple uploads can become expensive quickly.

Is $150 worth it?

The price is high for a single photo or video. You are not buying admission to a landmark, a meal, transportation, or a full day of guided activity. You are paying for a short public display repeated across one day.

The value comes from the occasion. For an ordinary afternoon in New York, I would call it a novelty with a steep price. For a milestone birthday, marriage proposal, family tribute, or once-in-a-lifetime trip, the repeated showings and livestream make the cost easier to justify.

The group option improves the calculation. One ticket can feature a group photo with no stated limit on the number of people shown. That is much more reasonable for a family than purchasing a separate ticket for everyone.

The service also includes a custom frame and a line of text, which saves you from paying extra for those basic presentation elements. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience and a reserve-now, pay-later option make planning less risky, provided you still submit the file in time to hold the slot.

Small details that can affect a big surprise

Check the date in every confirmation message. One booking showed different dates on the voucher and email. The display did happen on the email date, but the mismatch spoiled part of the planned surprise.

Submit your file early, then check the assigned schedule. Do not assume the purchase itself reserves the date. If the image is wrong, request a change at least 24 hours before display, while it is still eligible to be changed.

Plan for waiting. You may need to remain in Times Square through other content before your image appears. Do not blink, especially if you want a clear reaction photo.

If you are surprising someone who dislikes attention, consider the person’s temperament. One teenager became anxious about being noticed, even though the family still had a special moment. A public screen is fun for some people and uncomfortable for others.

Finally, remember that the first showing may not be the most convenient one. The image repeats, so you can choose a practical time to visit rather than sacrificing sleep for the earliest appearance.

Who should book this?

I would choose this for a birthday surprise, engagement, anniversary, family celebration, or heartfelt tribute. It is particularly good when relatives are spread across different countries, because the livestream lets them join the moment.

It also suits people who want a strong photograph from New York without spending hours on a formal attraction. The billboard, TKTS steps, and Times Square setting provide the backdrop. You supply the meaning.

I would skip it if you want a long performance, a private experience, or a guaranteed uninterrupted 30-second video. The display is brief, the area is crowded, and the price makes sense mainly when the emotional occasion matters.

Final verdict

This is a simple idea with a memorable payoff. The upload process is easy, the hourly repeats give you plenty of chances, and the central Times Square location makes the photo feel unmistakably New York. The strongest value comes from the group option and the online stream.

Book it when you have a person and a moment worth celebrating. Submit the image early, confirm the date and New York time, and arrive at 1560 Broadway well before the showing. For the right occasion, 15 seconds in the lights can become the memory everyone carries home.

FAQ

How long does the photo or video appear?

It appears for 15 seconds every hour for 24 hours on the selected date.

How many showings are guaranteed?

You are guaranteed 22 showtimes within the 24-hour period in case technical difficulties affect the schedule.

Where is the billboard located?

The billboard is at 1560 Broadway, between 46th and 47th Streets. It is above the Pelé store and across from the TKTS red steps.

Can a group use one ticket?

Yes. One ticket can be used for a group photo, and there is no stated limit to the number of people who can appear in one photo. Separate photos or videos require separate tickets.

Can friends and family watch from home?

Yes. You can share the assigned time slot so friends and family can watch the live stream online.

What content is not allowed?

Files cannot include watermarks, brands, logos, nudity, smoking, or vulgarity. Logos, QR codes, links, advertisements, and social media links from independent professionals can also be declined.

When do I need to upload my photo or video?

You should upload it promptly after purchase using the code provided. Your slot is not reserved until the file is submitted. You can request a change at least 24 hours before the display date, as long as the file has not already appeared.