City of Austin

The City of Austin and Visit Austin are thrilled to invite the community to ring in 2026 with an unforgettable celebration at Auditorium Shores. As part of the evening’s excitement, CNN will broadcast live from Austin as part of their national New Year’s Eve coverage. This year’s Austin’s New Year will be headlined by critically acclaimed band The Head and the Heart, setting the stage for an evening of music, food and fireworks.

Joining the lineup are local favorites Chaparelle, Tameca Jones, and The Point, who will captivate attendees and set the tone for an unforgettable night!

The free, family-friendly event takes place on Wednesday, Dec. 31, from 7 p.m. to midnight, and will feature a variety of local food trucks offering delicious bites and both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase. A full list of local food vendors will be announced in December and shared on the Austin’s New Year webpage at austintexas.gov/any.

New this year, attendees can look forward to a spectacular Austin’s New Year drone show, presented by Arca Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, lighting up the downtown skyline — followed by a fireworks finale to welcome 2026.

“Austin's New Year party is a blast. It draws thousands of Austinites and visitors wanting to be in Austin. It also continues to be a symbol of our city's values: inclusivity, creativity and community spirit,” said Mayor Kirk Watson. “This celebration captures what makes Austin so special — a place where everyone can come together to enjoy great music, local food and a sense of belonging as we welcome a new year.”

“We look forward to welcoming visitors to Austin for an incredible evening of live music to ring in the new year,” said Tom Noonan, President & CEO of Visit Austin. “This is also a perfect moment for residents to take advantage of our great hotel rates in Austin on New Year’s Eve and make it a staycation.” 

Enjoy an evening of singing and dancing to live music, exploring flavors of local food and beverage vendors, or sit back and enjoy the company of family and friends — there will be something special in store for everyone at Austin’s New Year! 

More details about transportation and event tips will be announced in the coming weeks. For the latest updates, visit austintexas.gov/any.

About Visit Austin

Visit Austin is the official destination marketing and sales organization for the City of Austin. An accredited member of Destinations International, Visit Austin is charged with marketing Austin nationally and internationally as a premier business and leisure destination, thus enriching our community's overall quality of life. 

About Austin Center for Events

The Austin Center for Events (ACE) is a collaborative assembly of City of Austin departments and agencies designed to streamline special event permitting on public and private property. ACE is anchored by teams from Austin Arts, Music, Culture and Entertainment, Austin Transportation and Public Works, Austin Parks and Recreation, Austin Police, Austin Fire, Austin-Travis County EMS, Austin Public Health, Austin Resource Recovery, and partner agencies, and works closely with event organizers to guide them through the special event permitting process.