Las Vegas rings in 2026 with fireworks, drones — BLOG
Check out our blog below for coverage of rainy New Year’s Eve celebrations from the Strip to Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas.
12:07 a.m.
‘Staying dry was important’
Most of the fireworks were not visible to Amar Robinson and Kimmie Taylor from their vantage point on the seventh floor of the Caesars Palace parking garage. Of the Strip’s 10 simultaneous displays, only “two-and-a-half” could be seen by the two friends from Wake County, N.C., according to Taylor.
“Staying dry was more important,” she said. “We could hear them, though.”
On a whim, the duo flew in Monday and booked last-minute rooms at different hotels.
“It looks better in videos but being here is pretty crazy,” Robinson said, adding that he was “bummed” he did not get to see the drone show on New Year’s Eve. “I’ll be back, though. Bet that.”
— David Danzis
12:04 a.m.
Come on!
Workers at Resorts World had an untraditional New Year’s celebration.
When the pyrotechnics started popping off, a small crowd of employees ran to the outside seating area ushering over others yelling: “come on, it’s new year’s!”
Wearing aprons, hair covers, badges and all they celebrated the moment with the pyrotechnics, embracing and taking pictures before ultimately clocking back in to finish their shift.
— Emerson Drewes
12 a.m.
Stimulate the economy
Shortly before midnight, singer Robin Thicke paused his set to give way to Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley, who offered cheers to tourists and locals alike.
She encouraged the out of towners to stimulate the economy further.
Thicke then joined the mayor to countdown from 10. The crowd erupted as the countdown reached zero. Hugs and kisses in the crowd ensued.
Thicke then continued his set.
— Ricardo Torres-Cortez
12 a.m.
‘Happy New Year!’
— Las Vegas Review-Journal
11:40 p.m.
‘Magic’
Flanked by a full band, including a horn section, singer Robin Thicke takes the main stage at the Fremont Street Experience.
He immediately sat at a grand piano to play his song, “Magic.”
The crowd roared to the sound of his introduction. It hasn’t stopped raining but neither have the energetic vibes.
“It’s a little wet,” Thicke said before playing his second tune, his rendition of Bill Withers’, “Just the Two of Us.”
“We need to get refreshed … it’s time to start fresh,” the singer said about 2026.
— Ricardo Torres-Cortez
11:35 p.m.
‘Throw ‘25 out’
Kate Taylor, of Oregon, and her partner wore matching white fur jackets. They were visiting Las Vegas with friends to ring in the new year at the Fremont Street Experience.
While they’re used to rainy conditions, “it’s not fun, but you can’t let it rain on your parade,” Taylor said.
“Throw 25 out,” she said about the the current year, “and let’s let 26 be a whole lot better.”
Their thoughts on the festivities? “It’s fun, hopefully it dries out,” Taylor said.
— Ricardo Torres-Cortez
11:25 p.m.
The noises of New Year’s
Revelers outside the Venetian gasped, oohed and aahed as firework test shots were fired, emitting loud booms.
As those waiting for the fireworks searched for ways to pass the time, some took to blowing party horns. The intermittent honks carried through the air, almost in conversation with one another, as tourists warmed their chops.
— Spencer Levering
11:18 p.m.
Too much to tolerate
Nita Gallarza tried to tough it out. The 31-year-old nurse from Sarasota, Fla., is usually unbothered by rain. But Wednesday’s showers were too much to tolerate.
Her sleeveless gold dress was not going to offer much protection from the elements, she said, and, like a “Vegas rookie,” Gallarza was wearing heels.
“I’m not standing in the rain to see fireworks,” she said.
Instead, Gallarza and her friend, Maribelle Diaz, were retreating back to their hotel room at Treasure Island to watch the show from there.
“This didn’t work out the way we hoped,” Diaz said, resigned to the fact that their Las Vegas New Year’s Eve was a wash.
As the two Florida women bemoaned the late-December desert rain, Gallarza offered a silver lining.
“Maybe it’s washing away the bad from (2025). Maybe it’s a sign that 2026 will start fresh and clean” she said. “Or, I don’t know, maybe it’s just rain.”
— David Danzis
11:01 p.m.
The show must go on
The rainy weather continues, but plans to ring in 2026 with fireworks and a drone show on the Strip remain unchanged. Here’s our latest update from the top of the Rio.
Las Vegas 2025 NYE Update https://t.co/p7K8h9wTNZ
— Las Vegas Review-Journal (@reviewjournal) January 1, 2026
—Las Vegas Review-Journal
10:55 p.m.
The party’s getting started
Lines are backing up for LIV and Zouk Nightclubs at Fontainebleau, where John Summit is playing, and Resorts World for James Hype.
As Danielle Panico, from Boston, was being herded into the club she quickly yelled: “I don’t even drink or do drugs. I just come here for the vibes. It’s the best city in the country.”
—Emerson Drewes
10:30 p.m.
Fremont Vendors close shop
About 90 minutes before 2026, revelers continued making their way into the Fremont Street Experience’s New Year’s Eve festivities. Vendors under the canopy have closed shop, including some that were earlier seen bagging merchandise as rainfall intensified.
Puddles began forming along parts of the venue but it didn’t seen to bother attendees, some of whom danced along to Cee Lo Green’s set. At other stages, technicians protected the musical equipment with plastic and tarps. A staffer was seen using a leaf blower on speaker monitors, where rapper Chingy was scheduled to perform shortly before midnight.
— Ricardo Torres-Cortez
10:26 p.m.
Vying for prime spot
Despite being more than an hour out from the clock striking midnight, hundreds are already jockeying for position at the Venetian for a view looking out on Las Vegas Boulevard.
Using their bodies, drinks and opened umbrellas to save spots, many are staying put to ensure they get a dry place to see the fireworks show.
— Spencer Levering
9:31 p.m.
Nebraska lost, but fans still want to have fun
Katie and Travis Meays from Columbus, Nebraska didn’t see the result they wanted in the Las Vegas Bowl, with Nebraska falling to Utah 44-22, but they still wanted to ring in the new year on the Strip.
Not only did Utah winning the game rain on their parade, but Wednesday night’s weather literally did as well, as a steady drizzle occurred on Las Vegas Boulevard, leading some to walk through puddles with snarls.
“We’re just going to hang out and do whatever, we were thinking about heading back to our hotel, the Excalibur, to be indoors, but we heard Pitbull is playing by the (Bellagio) fountains, so we’re probably going to check that out,” Katie Meays said.
Despite the unusually wet western Wednesday night, the Meays weren’t going to let that stop them from having a great time in Las Vegas.
“It’s still cool, to be around all of the people and seeing all of the Husker fans,” Travis Meays said. “We’re kind of used to this weather in Nebraska. This is normal. So, it doesn’t rain on our parade. We’re going to be out any way.”
— Mick Akers
9:25 p.m.
Grammy winner takes the stage
Grammy Award winner CeeLo Green takes the main stage at the Fremont Street Experience with a live band and soulful songs. The attraction’s canopy is hardly blocking much of the increasingly intense rainfall. Despite the conditions, hundreds of revelers listen attentively under the protection of dozens of umbrellas. Others take shelter under business awnings.
— Ricardo Torres-Cortez
9:10 p.m.
Tired, lost and soaked
Walter Summers was tired and lost. And he was pretty sure his left boot had a hole in the bottom because his sock was soaked.
The 24-year-old Uber driver from Tacoma, Wash., had never been to Las Vegas and was getting over a recent breakup. His two cousins brought him out for a guy’s trip, but they were nowhere to be found at the moment.
“I don’t know where my people are,” he said, scanning the Bellagio casino floor. “This is the second time today they did this.”
Just as Summers was about to head back to the room for a fresh pair of socks, his cell pinged with a message from his absent cousins. One of them had hit a slot jackpot at The Cosmopolitan for “five figures” and was waiting for his handpay.
“Drinks are on that guy tonight,” Summers said seemingly energized by his lucky association. “He doesn’t know it yet, but we’re doing shots of Louis XIII as soon as I find him.”
— David Danzis
9:10 p.m.
Backstreet’s back, all white!
A legion of Backstreet Boys fans marched to the Sphere, eager to see the boy band perform live. The dress code? All white clothing to match the band’s 1999 “Millennium” album cover.
Las Vegas locals Katie Kenner and Carnell Johnson chose to spend their New Year’s Eve at the concert. Kenner said she’s ready to ring in the new year with the band that has long held a special place in her heart.
“There were so many plot twists in 2025, I’m looking forward to the plot twists in 2026,” she said. “Bring it on.”
— Spencer Levering
9 p.m.
‘People from around the world’
A line of people dressed to the nines and dripping in pearls flood out of The Poodle Room at Fontainebleau, an invite- and members-only club located on the 89th floor of the resort and casino. Katie Enright, a new member to the club, stood at the back of the line.
Enright came to Las Vegas from Los Angeles for her first New Year’s Eve in the city. Although Enright is no newbie to the city, looking to expand her cannabis brand to the area.
Enright said her and two friend “just kind of wanted a change of scenery.”
“It’s fun to see everyone dressed in different things, and everyone’s different outfits,” said Enright. “And people come from all around the world.”
—Emerson Drewes
8:50 p.m.
Fremont canopy partially closed
A portion of Fremont Street, just east of the official celebration under the canopy, was closed as it populated a cavalry of Metropolitan Police Department squad vehicles. Businesses along the sidewalks, such as eateries and nightclubs, however, were also active with revelers taking shelter from the rain.
— Ricardo Torres-Cortez
8:20 p.m.
Downtown casinos appear busy
Casinos that dot the Fremont Street Experience also appeared busier than usual. Outside revelers had to go through an ID check to enter. Meanwhile, patrons trying to make their way out to the official celebration under the canopy were asked to show an event wristband before being screened by security. At the same time, rainfall had ticked up quite a bit.
—Ricardo Torres-Cortez
8:00 p.m.
‘Always special’
Duncan and Tracey Willit, of Rancho Bernardo, California, have spent New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas before. The couple was married here on the last day of 2015.
“It’s special. It will always be special,” Tracey Willit said of New Year’s Eve. ” We knew we had to come back.”
Duncan, a 63-year-old retiree, said they have been planning their anniversary trip for months. They finally settled on a suite at Aria hotel-casino about two months ago. Dinner plans were still up in the air.
“We haven’t decided yet if we’re going to watch the fireworks from the room or try to go out,” he said, wondering if the rain would put a damper on the evening’s pyrotechnics. “Either way, we’re going to have a great night, one that we’ll both remember.”
— David Danzis
7:51 p.m.
K-9s on patrol
Security is on high alert this New Year’s Eve. Multiple security K-9s can be seen patrolling near Resorts World’s Zouk Nightclub. Additionally, security is at most entrances of casinos to confiscate any glasses and prohibited items.
—Emerson Drewes
7:45 p.m.
Rain drips from Fremont canopy
West Virginia couple Karen and Harry Greaver said they didn’t know what to expect at the Fremont Street Experience on Wednesday night, but it wasn’t rain. Drops dripped from the canopy, which began to populate during the first hour of the downtown festivities. DJs performed from the four stages spread out across the mammoth venue. Revelers zipped above from the Slotzilla attraction.
The Greaver’s weren’t ringing in the new year from Las Vegas for the first time.
Asked what made them return, “We’re snowbirds anyway,” the woman said.
What do they hope for 2026, her husband answered succinctly: “A prosperous year.”
—Ricardo Torres-Cortez
7:09 p.m.
Strip, Tropicana closed
Tropicana Avenue has been blocked off by a pair of RTC buses, with the Strip also shut down to traffic at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana.
The Metropolitan Police Department and Nevada Highway Patrol are controlling the road closures.
The closures are occurring as light rain is falling on the Strip.
— Mick Akers
6:55 p.m.
Vendor’s sales struggling
It hasn’t ever rained on New Year’s Eve in the last 20 years Cruz Robles, 40, has been selling light-up accessories on the Strip. But a light drizzle outside the Venetian had him and his 11-year-old daughter Natalia Robles trying to keep their inventory of glasses and sequined fedoras dry.
“Since it’s raining, it is very little sales,” Natalia Robles said, translating for her Spanish-speaking father.
The Robles’, from Los Angeles, said they intend to keep selling through the night, despite any rain that may come.
— Spencer Levering
6:55 p.m.
Light drizzle and lines
After a one-hour closure while police conducted a security sweep, New Year’s Eve festivities at the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas are about to kick off under the iconic canopy, amid a light drizzle and lines. Scheduled entertainment performances include Robin Thicke and Cee Lo Green. Entrance for the 21+ event is $65.
— Ricardo Torres-Cortez
6:50 p.m.
Revelers on the Monorail
Well-dressed and sequined revelers are beginning to spill onto Monorail platforms as they make their way to their evening plans. Inside the Westgate, though, the party continues as gamblers buzz around the casino and a slot machine player uses her party horn to cheer for an outcome on the spinning reels.
— McKenna Ross
5:53 p.m.
Cats on the town
Even though thousands of people were expected to converge onto the Strip to celebrate the new year, locals Jess and Trip Barrios knew just how to find each other if they became separated.
The couple each donned red-and-white stovepipe top hats (straight out of the Dr. Seuss children’s book “The Cat in the Hat”) wrapped in Christmas lights. In addition to the swanky hats, they each had on bright red “Cat in the Hat” scarves.
“We do our ‘Cat in the Hat’ thing mostly because we keep losing each other,” Jess Barrios said.
Down on the Las Vegas Strip, where I just talked with locals Jess and Trip Barrios, who are wearing these cool hats so they can easily find each other if they become separated.
Catch the @reviewjournal live blog HERE: https://t.co/5UijII6W2m pic.twitter.com/5GccfgOIEP
— Casey Harrison (@Casey_Harrison1) January 1, 2026
The Barrios’ were heading into dinner at the Outback Steakhouse on Las Vegas Boulevard before joining other New Year’s revelers on the Strip afterward.
“We want to eat first, get something at least in our stomach before we actually started,” Jess Barrios continued. “We always come out here for New Year’s Eve. We stay away from the Strip the rest of the year.”
As for 2026, Trip Barrios said the couple hopes to cruise Route 66 to commemorate the historic highway’s 100th anniversary. There was also a personal reason, Trip Barrios added.
“Yesterday was my 66th birthday,” Trip Barrios said.
— Casey Harrison
5:52 p.m.
‘Our special day’
“Vegas, New Year’s Eve is our special day,” said Juanita Nuñez dressed in white.
Juanita and John Nuñez posed for their wedding pictures in front of the Fontainebleau. At 7 p.m. the couple is heading downtown for their ceremony.
Vegas is significant to their relationship, they said.
Hailing from Victorville, California, the couple “had the most magical weekend” in Las Vegas when they first started dating, she said. After getting engaged they knew they “had to come back” for their nuptials and on the same day.
— Emerson Drewes
5:35 p.m.
‘Elvis never died’
As gamblers near the Harrah’s Piano Bar stared at slot machines, eyes glazed over, an Elvis impersonator was bringing the King of Rock and Roll back to life, singing “Burning Love,” “Jailhouse Rock,” and a heartfelt “Hallelujah.”
One onlooker, Jim Streitz of Anaheim, California, listened and joked that the performance showed Elvis never really died. He and his wife, Martina Streitz, said they’ll likely be asleep by midnight as they’ve seen Las Vegas’ fireworks show in years past.
“It’s beautiful. I mean, when the fireworks go off over the Strip, it’s very cool,” Jim Streitz said.
— Spencer Levering
5:15 p.m.
Notices and warnings
Traffic on Interstate 15 is moderate prior to the partial shutdown of Las Vegas Blvd. at 6 p.m.
Signs smatter the roadways with notices and warnings. Some casino signs read of prohibited items: backpacks, glass bottles and strollers. While overhangs read “see something, say something. Call 911.”
— Emerson Drewes
4:55 p.m.
Las Vegas’ Avengers
Andrea Lopez lit up with joy outside Harrah’s as she posed for a picture with an odd character crew: Captain America, Sonic the Hedgehog, Bluey and Stitch.
Lopez brought her family from Phoenix and, beverage in hand, said she was looking forward to drinking all night long while enjoying the night with her loved ones.
“We went to the Sphere to see Wizard of Oz which, by the way, was so freaking awesome,” Lopez said. “We’re definitely going to hang out tonight, go to the casino and have fun.”
Captain America, who refused to reveal his true identity, said the money he’s making tonight will help him and his wife raise the newborn child they’re expecting in 2026.
“I think this could be the busiest day of the year,” he said. “It’s the most fun.”
— Spencer Levering
4:35 p.m.
Roads beginning to close near Strip
Crews will soon begin closing roads in and around the Strip ahead of tonight’s New Year’s Eve festivities.
The Nevada Department of Transportation will start closing off Interstate 15 off-ramps to Las Vegas Boulevard at 5:30 p.m., including at Tropicana and Harmon avenues and Flamingo Road.
Surface streets leading to the Strip where it will closed to vehicle traffic will also be shut to traffic at 5:30 p.m. including Tropicana between I-15 and Las Vegas Boulevard, Flamingo between Valley View and Las Vegas boulevards and Hotel Rio Drive at Dean Martin Drive.
Clark County crews will begin shutting down the Strip at 6:30 p.m., with the boulevard set to be completely closed to vehicle traffic between 8 p.m. Wednesday, to 2 a.m. Thursday, between Reno Avenue and Spring Mountain Road.
Those looking to get around the Strip on New Year’s Eve while it’s shut down can do so via the Las Vegas Monorail. The monorail is running nonstop until 2 a.m. Thursday. The cost of a single ride is $1 for locals and $6 for visitors.
The Regional Transportation Commission is also offering free bus rides across the Las Vegas Valley from 6 p.m. Wednesday, through 9 a.m. Thursday.
— Mick Akers
More Coverage
— Visit lvrj.com/nye for full coverage of New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas
— Chilly and wet, Las Vegas still rings in 2026 in style
