New Year’s Eve 2026 at a glance
- When
- Thursday, Dec 31, 2026, into Friday, Jan 1, 2027
- Strip fireworks
- “America’s Party: Las Vegas New Year 2027.” Las Vegas Events says Fireworks by Grucci will launch an eight-minute display at midnight from nine hotel-casinos on the Strip.
- Downtown
- Fremont Street Experience’s Countdown Under The Canopy: ticketed, 21+, gates at 7:00 PM. Las Vegas Events says it includes live concerts with fireworks.
- Road closures
- The 2026 times haven’t been announced. Last year the Strip was closed to all cars by 8:00 PM.
- Getting around
- The 2026 bus, Monorail and Loop plans haven’t been announced. Last year the RTC buses were free overnight and the Monorail ran for 43 hours straight.
Still to come: as of Nov 1, 2026, Clark County, NDOT, the RTC, the Monorail and the LVCVA hadn’t posted their 2026 New Year’s Eve plans. Last year they came out in December: the LVCVA on Dec 9 and NDOT on Dec 24. Below, anything marked last year is from Dec 31, 2025, so you know what to expect. We’ll update this page when the 2026 details are out.
The Strip fireworks
Las Vegas Events lists America’s Party: Las Vegas New Year 2027 for Dec 31, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027: a themed fireworks show on the Strip, launched by Fireworks by Grucci from nine hotel-casinos, lasting eight minutes from midnight. The nine 2026 launch sites haven’t been named on an official page yet.
Last year’s show
For the end of 2025, the LVCVA says the fireworks launched from the rooftops of 10 resorts:
- South & center Strip
MGM Grand, ARIA, Planet Hollywood, Caesars Palace - Mid-Strip
TI – Treasure Island, The Venetian - North Strip
Resorts World, Fontainebleau, The STRAT - Off the Strip
Palms
Last year also had the first New Year’s drone show: 600 drones launched from the Las Vegas Event Plaza across from Wynn. Sphere’s Exosphere ran the official countdown to midnight, and the Plaza Hotel & Casino launched fireworks downtown. A 2026 drone show or Sphere countdown hasn’t been announced.
Tip: with launch sites spread from MGM Grand to The STRAT, you don’t need one “best” spot. Pick a stretch of the Strip near where you’re staying, so the walk home is short.
Fremont Street: Countdown Under The Canopy
Downtown’s party is ticketed and strictly 21+. Fremont Street Experience lists it for Dec 31, with gates at 7:00 PM.
| Stage | Line-up (as posted) |
|---|---|
| 3rd Street Stage | DJ sets 7:00–9:00 PM · Alien Ant Farm 9:30 PM · Hoobastank 11:30 PM |
| Main Street Stage | DJ sets 7:00–10:00 PM · Bubba Sparxxx 10:00 PM · Petey Pablo 11:30 PM |
| Casino Center Blvd | DJ Eric Forbes 7:00 PM · Anabel Englund 9:00 PM · Wuki and Count’s 77 11:00 PM |
| 1st Street Stage | Dr Rock 7:00 PM · Alter Ego 9:00 PM |
- Wristbands: pick yours up before Dec 31 at the SlotZilla Box Office with your ticket confirmation and a valid ID. Each ticket holder has to be there in person.
- On the night: everyone with a wristband shows valid ID again at entry.
- No refunds: all sales are final, including for illness or weather.
We don’t list ticket prices; see Fremont Street Experience for the current price. Its garage is at 4th St and Carson St, and it says parking fees may vary on event nights.
Road closures
The 2026 closures haven’t been announced. Here’s what Clark County and NDOT closed last year (Wed, Dec 31, 2025), which shows the usual pattern:
| Last year | Closure |
|---|---|
| From 5:30 PM to 4:00 AM | I-15 off-ramps to Tropicana Ave and Flamingo Rd (both directions) and the northbound off-ramp to Harmon Ave |
| From 5:30 PM to 4:00 AM | Eastbound Tropicana Ave from I-15 to Las Vegas Blvd · eastbound Flamingo Rd from Valley View Blvd to Las Vegas Blvd · Hotel Rio Dr at Dean Martin Dr |
| From 6:30 PM | Las Vegas Blvd closures begin, Spring Mountain Rd to Tropicana Ave |
| By 8:00 PM | The Strip is fully closed to all vehicle traffic |
Driving in? If last year’s pattern holds, you won’t be able to exit I-15 at Tropicana or Flamingo in the evening. Check NDOT and Clark County in late December for the 2026 times.
What you can’t bring
Clark County code bans these on the Strip from 6:00 PM Dec 31 to 6:00 AM Jan 1, every year:
- Glass containers fit for drinks
- Purses or bags larger than 12 × 12 × 6 inches, plus backpacks, coolers, briefcases, fanny packs, cinch bags, luggage, computer bags and camera bags
- Strollers, carts and other human-powered or motorized vehicles, unless medically necessary
Last year Clark County also listed metal containers. There are exceptions for medical devices and working media. Clark County also has curfew rules for anyone under 18 on the Strip; see LVMPD’s page on local laws.
Getting around on New Year’s Eve
RTC buses
Last year the RTC offered free rides on all routes from 6:00 PM Dec 31 to 9:00 AM Jan 1, including the Deuce on the Strip. The 2026 plan hasn’t been announced; check rtcsnv.com.
Las Vegas Monorail
Last year the Monorail ran nonstop for 43 hours, from 7:00 AM Dec 31 to 2:00 AM Jan 2. The LVCVA called it the only motorized way along the Strip once the Boulevard closed. Locals paid $1 a ride with a Nevada ID and visitors paid $6. The 2026 hours and fares haven’t been announced; check lvmonorail.com.
Vegas Loop
The Loop’s New Year’s Eve hours aren’t posted. On Nov 1, 2026, the hours calendar on vegasloop.com only ran to Dec 11. Check it before you count on the Loop that night. Our station guide shows where each stop is.
Uber, Lyft & taxi
With the Strip and nearby ramps closed, a car can’t pull up on the Boulevard once closures start. Plan to walk to a pickup spot off the Strip, or wait until the crowds clear.
Free ways to ring in 2027
- Watch the Strip fireworks from the street. Last year the LVCVA said the Strip closure gave guests space to watch the show from every angle.
- Catch a casino viewing spot. Last year the LVCVA listed a free New Year’s Eve party at Ole Red and free all-day viewing of ball drops from around the world at the Rio Event Stage. The 2026 line-ups haven’t been announced.
Places tagged Insider Offer have a deal that opens with the Insider Pass, on this website or in the app.
Local tips
- Leave the bag at the hotel. A small purse is fine. Backpacks and big bags are banned on the Strip from 6:00 PM.
- Pick your side early. The Strip and downtown are separate parties. If you want Fremont, you need a ticket and must be 21+.
- Plan your way home first. Know your walk or your pickup spot off the Strip before midnight.
More Vegas guides
New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas FAQ
What time are the Las Vegas New Year’s Eve fireworks?
At midnight. Las Vegas Events says Fireworks by Grucci will launch an eight-minute display at midnight on Dec 31, 2026 from nine hotel-casinos on the Strip.
Do I need a ticket to see the Strip fireworks?
No ticket is needed to watch from the Strip. Last year the Strip was closed to cars so people could watch from the street. Fremont Street Experience’s downtown party is the ticketed one, and it’s 21+.
When does the Strip close on New Year’s Eve 2026?
The 2026 times hadn’t been announced as of Nov 1, 2026. Last year Las Vegas Blvd closures began at 6:30 PM from Spring Mountain Rd to Tropicana Ave, and the Strip was fully closed to cars by 8:00 PM.
Are buses free on New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas?
Last year the RTC offered free rides on all routes from 6:00 PM Dec 31 to 9:00 AM Jan 1. The 2026 plan hadn’t been announced as of Nov 1, 2026.
Is the Vegas Loop open on New Year’s Eve?
The Loop’s New Year’s Eve hours weren’t posted as of Nov 1, 2026. Check vegasloop.com/operation-hours before you go.
Can I bring a backpack to the Strip on New Year’s Eve?
No. From 6:00 PM Dec 31 to 6:00 AM Jan 1, Clark County code bans backpacks, coolers, glass containers, strollers and bags larger than 12 × 12 × 6 inches on the Strip.
Sources
Facts on this page come from the official sources below, checked Nov 1, 2026. Items marked “last year” are from the official plans for Dec 31, 2025; the 2026 versions hadn’t been posted yet. If something here disagrees with an official page, trust the official page.
- Las Vegas Events: America’s Party: Las Vegas New Year 2027: https://www.lasvegasevents.com/signature-events/181/americas-party-las-vegas-new-year-2027
- Fremont Street Experience: Countdown Under The Canopy (gates, 21+, line-up, wristbands, refunds, parking): https://fremontstreetexperience.com/countdown-under-the-canopy/
- LVCVA (Dec 9, 2025): last year’s fireworks sites, drone show, Strip closure, Monorail 43 hours and fares, free venue events: https://press.lvcva.com/news-releases/glittering-fireworks-and-drone-display-to-take-center-stage-as-las-vegas-rings-in-2026/s/6becb5cb-b106-4dcf-aa78-77593e2b6bf7
- LVCVA (Jan 1, 2026): last year’s show recap (10 rooftops, 600 drones, Sphere countdown, Plaza fireworks): https://press.lvcva.com/all/las-vegas-rings-in-2026-with-exosphere-countdown--fireworks--and-first-ever-drone-show-in-a-patrioti/s/1cdc5136-f63d-4c27-8cc8-b99ab0133875
- Clark County: New Year’s Eve (last year’s road closures, prohibited items, RTC free rides): https://www.clarkcountynv.gov/government/departments/public_communications/clark_county_featured_stories/new-years-eve
- NDOT (Dec 24, 2025): last year’s I-15 ramp and road restrictions: https://www.dot.nv.gov/Home/Components/News/News/8614/395
- LVMPD: Local ordinances (New Year’s Eve prohibited items, glass, Strip curfew): https://www.lvmpd.com/services/tourist-safety/local-ordinances-and-state-laws
- RTC Southern Nevada: https://www.rtcsnv.com/
- Las Vegas Monorail: https://www.lvmonorail.com/
- Vegas Loop: operation hours: https://vegasloop.com/operation-hours
Vegas Daily Drop is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with Las Vegas Events, the LVCVA, Fremont Street Experience, Clark County, NDOT, the RTC, The Boring Company / Vegas Loop, the Las Vegas Monorail or any venue listed here.