Get Your 15 Seconds of Fame on a Times Square Billboard in NYC!

Seeing your own face flash above Times Square is the whole point here, and it is a wonderfully simple way to mark a birthday, anniversary, promotion, or family trip. I like the 15-second appearance every hour for 24 hours, since you get many chances to catch it in person. I also like that one submission can include a group, so you are not limited to a solo portrait.

The main caution is location and livestream confusion. Your image may be assigned to a second Times Square screen rather than the billboard above the Pele store, and that screen may not appear on the available webcam. Confirm the exact screen and timing before you pay.

Key points to know before booking

• Your image appears 15 seconds every hour for 24 hours, giving you repeated chances to see it.
• The main screen is above the Pele store, directly across from the TKTS red steps at 1560 Broadway.
• One ticket covers one photo or video, and that file can include one person or a whole group.
• Custom frames and one line of text let you turn a basic photo into a birthday or celebration message.
• The exact minute matters, since confirmation instructions tell you when the display runs during each hour.
• A second screen may be assigned, and it may not have the same livestream access or convenient location.

What you are really buying in Times Square

This is not a guided tour. You will not spend the day following a guide or visiting several attractions. You submit one image or video, wait for approval and timing instructions, then visit the billboard at 1560 Broadway to see your media on display.

That simplicity is part of the appeal. New York offers plenty of expensive attractions, but this experience gives you a very specific memory for $150 per person. The value depends almost entirely on the occasion. For a regular sightseeing day, it may feel like a novelty. For a 21st birthday, a family tribute, or a surprise for someone who never expects to see their face in Times Square, it can become the central moment of the trip.

The display lasts only 15 seconds at a time. That sounds brief, but it repeats every hour for a full 24 hours. You can plan around the schedule instead of waiting in the square all day. Several people have found it especially memorable when the timing happened to line up with a bus ride or a walk through Times Square.

Your ticket allows one photo or video with one or more people in it. You can buy additional tickets if you want to submit more than one file. That makes it possible to feature several family members, create separate birthday messages, or use different images for different occasions.

Finding the screen above the Pele store

The advertised meeting point is 1560 Broadway, New York, NY 10036, in the center of Times Square. The key visual reference is the Pele store, with the screen directly across from the TKTS red steps.

That location matters. Times Square is crowded, noisy, and packed with bright screens, so you need a clear landmark. The TKTS steps are one of the easiest places to recognize, and the Pele store gives you a second reference point. If you are meeting the birthday guest there, build in enough time to get oriented before the scheduled display.

The main billboard is large enough to be easy to spot from the square. The experience does not require a separate sightseeing route, so you can fit it between other plans. You might see it while walking through Times Square, during a theater district visit, or on a bus tour.

There is an important catch: the final screen assignment may not always be the one above the Pele store. One booking was assigned to a second billboard that was less convenient, and the live stream did not show that screen. Ask for the exact billboard location before finalizing your plans, especially if you are arranging a surprise or have limited time in Midtown.

How the 24-hour display works

The basic rhythm is easy once you receive the instructions. Your approved image or video appears for 15 seconds at a particular point during each hour, continuing for 24 hours.

The exact timing may be a few minutes past the hour rather than exactly on it. For example, one birthday display was scheduled five minutes past each hour. Another person received instructions for a specific minute and used those details to catch the display several times.

That detail is more important than it sounds. Times Square has a lot happening at once, and a 15-second appearance can pass quickly. Do not simply arrive at the square on the hour and hope for the best. Read the confirmation email carefully, note the precise minute, and arrive early enough to find the screen.

The repeated schedule is a strong feature. If you miss the first appearance, you have another chance in about an hour. If the person you are surprising needs time to understand what is happening, you can stay for a second showing. One family reportedly lingered in the area so the birthday guest could see the message more than once.

The 24-hour run also helps if your group has a full New York itinerary. You do not need to devote an entire afternoon to the billboard. Pick a time that fits your schedule, then return to the same screen later if you want another look.

Choosing the photo, video, frame, and message

You submit one photo or video, and you can include one person or several. A group image works well for family trips, while a solo portrait is better for a birthday surprise or personal milestone.

You can add a custom frame and one line of text. Use the text for something short and easy to read, such as a birthday greeting, congratulations, or a family message. Times Square screens are bright and busy, so a clean image and simple wording should be easier to recognize than a crowded design.

The strongest uses are personal occasions. A birthday message for a spouse, a congratulations note for a job promotion, and a tribute to someone who has died all appear in the feedback. One family used the display to honor a late husband on an anniversary. That gives the activity more weight than a quick photo opportunity. The billboard becomes a public marker for a private memory.

A short video can add movement and surprise, but make sure the important message is clear during the 15-second display. If your video has a spoken message, people in Times Square may not hear it over the surrounding noise. The visual part is what matters most.

After you submit the file, it must be approved before the booking is fully confirmed for display. The booking process may send an initial confirmation, but approval of the actual image or video remains a required step. Do not wait until the last possible moment to upload your media.

The best occasions for this experience

This activity is most convincing when the billboard has emotional purpose. A birthday is the obvious choice, and the surprise effect works especially well for children, milestone birthdays, and partners.

It also suits:

• An anniversary or engagement
• A family celebration
• A congratulations message for a promotion
• A surprise for friends visiting New York
• A tribute to someone important
• A group photo marking a special trip

One person described feeling like a birthday superstar after seeing a greeting several times, including once from a tour bus. That kind of accidental timing is part of the fun. You are not just looking at a screen. You are waiting for a small, dramatic New York moment.

For a young child, the screen may feel enormous and magical. For an adult who has visited New York many times, the personal message can give Times Square a fresh purpose. The location is familiar to millions, but your own image changes how you experience it.

I would be less likely to book this for a casual day in the city with no celebration attached. At $150, it is not a low-cost attraction. The price makes more sense when the billboard is a gift or a once-only marker for an important day.

Price and value at $150

The listed price is $150 per person, but the ticket allows one photo or video with one or more people. That distinction matters. A family group can share one image, so the cost does not necessarily rise with every face in the photo. You can also buy as many tickets as you want if you want separate submissions.

For a couple or family already spending heavily on a New York trip, $150 may be reasonable for a carefully planned surprise. You are paying for the display, the location, and the emotional reaction, not for a long activity filled with guided content.

The value is highest when the recipient does not know about it. A birthday guest may see a normal Times Square outing, then suddenly notice their own face and message on a giant screen. That reaction is the product.

The price is harder to justify if you are booking it mainly for a quick selfie. Your own phone will capture the moment, but the billboard appearance itself lasts only 15 seconds each hour. Think of this as an event gift rather than a standard sightseeing ticket.

Timing, confirmation, and the livestream issue

You receive instructions about when the display will run after submitting your media. Read every message carefully. The exact minute, screen location, and livestream details can affect how you plan the visit.

The livestream point deserves special attention. Some screen assignments have a livestream that friends and family at home can watch. Another screen does not appear on the same webcam. Do not assume that every billboard has identical online coverage.

If people back home need to watch, ask which screen your image will use and whether that screen is included in the livestream. This is one of the few practical details that can change the experience from a shared event into an in-person-only surprise.

There was also confusion for some customers about when the billboard would appear and whether a separate time had to be reserved. The process is easier if you treat the confirmation email as your schedule. Look for the approved media, the display minute, the screen location, and any livestream information.

Who should book it

I recommend this most strongly for someone planning a meaningful surprise. It suits families, couples, friends, and solo visitors who want a public birthday moment.

It is also a good choice if your group has a flexible Times Square itinerary. The display repeats throughout the day, so you can work it around other plans. Service animals are allowed, the location is near public transportation, and most people can participate. The activity can accommodate up to 240 people, though your own experience is simply centered on the screen and the person you brought to see it.

I would think twice if you need an exact screen, guaranteed livestream, or last-minute changes. The second-screen possibility should be clarified before booking. You also need time for the image to be submitted and approved.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellations made later, along with late changes, are not accepted for a refund.

Final verdict: a memorable gift, not a sightseeing tour

Book this if you want to create a personal New York memory for someone else. The repeated 15-second displays, custom frame, and short message give you enough control to make the moment feel personal, while the Times Square setting supplies the drama.

I especially like the chance to honor someone important, celebrate a birthday, or bring a group photo into one of the world’s most recognizable public spaces. Just confirm the screen assignment, livestream availability, and precise display minute before paying. If those details work for your plans, $150 can buy a reaction that is worth far more than another ordinary Times Square photo.

FAQ

Where does the billboard experience take place?

The meeting point is 1560 Broadway, New York, NY 10036, in Times Square. The primary screen is above the Pele store and across from the TKTS red steps.

How long does my photo or video appear?

Your approved photo or video appears for 15 seconds every hour for 24 hours.

Can I submit a group photo?

Yes. One ticket allows one photo or video featuring one or more people.

Can I add a message to the image?

Yes. You can include one line of text and add a custom frame.

Is the exact display time provided?

Yes. Instructions are sent with the timing for the appearance. The display may run a few minutes past the hour, so check the exact minute carefully.

Is the billboard shown on a livestream?

Livestream availability depends on the screen assigned to your submission. A second Times Square screen may not appear on the livestream that shows the primary screen.

How far in advance can I cancel?

You can cancel for a full refund at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Later cancellations and changes are not accepted for a refund.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes. Service animals are allowed, and the activity is near public transportation.