A Guide to New Year's Eve & New Year's Day in Greater Philadelphia for 2024/2025

December 31, 2024 | 6 p.m. & midnight

Philadelphia celebrates New Year’s Eve with two unforgettable fireworks displays — one at 6 p.m. (perfect for sleepy kiddos) and one at midnight — over the Delaware River. There are plenty of perches to catch the show for free along the Delaware River Waterfront, including Race Street Pier, Spruce Street Harbor Park, Pier 68 and Washington Avenue Pier. KYW Newsradio has the official soundtrack for both shows, so listen to the music in person on the Waterfront or tune in to 1060-AM or and 103.9-FM from wherever you’re watching. Can’t make it to the waterfront in person? You can also catch the show live on NBC10 Philadelphia and Telemundo62 at 6 p.m.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | 5 p.m. & 10 p.m.

Put those resolutions on ice, and send 2024 out in style. During two ticketed time slots — 5 to 8 p.m. (good for the kids!) and 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. — attendees get a front-row seat to the Visit PA New Year’s Eve Fireworks on the Waterfront while gliding across the ice rink. Tickets also include a spin on the waterfront Ferris Wheel (always a crowd-pleaser), family-friendly entertainment, giveaways (while supplies last), plus access to Winterfest’s pay-as-you-go boardwalk games, arcade games, rides, food and drink.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | 8 p.m. – 1:30 a.m.

Jean-Georges is one of Philadelphia’s top reservations — literally, located inside the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia atop the city’s tallest skyscraper. The swanky restaurant pulls out all the stops to ring in the new year, beginning with a prix fixe 5-course tasting menu complete with wine pairings. The festivities continue with cocktails — courtesy of the open bar — and live entertainment. The night ends (and the new year begins) with a champagne toast and a stunning view of the waterfront fireworks.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | 9 p.m.

Welcome 2025 with arms spread wide on the starboard bow of the world’s oldest and largest four-mastered tall ship during the Moshulu’s New Year’s Boat Bash. Multiple DJs, a full jazz band, and a live acoustic duo keep the party going before the midnight fireworks show on the water. General admission begins at 9 p.m. with access to an open bar. VIP reservations are available beginning at 8 p.m. and include added perks like passed hors d’oeuvres and buffet stations.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | 9 p.m. – 1 a.m.

Get glam and welcome the new year in style at this lavish waterfront hotel. The evening begins at 9 p.m. with dancing, DJs and an open bar, and ends with a champagne toast, screenings of the Times Square countdown and ball drop on the big screen, and stunning views of the Visit PA New Year’s Eve Fireworks on the Waterfront.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | 9 p.m. – 1 a.m.

This boat is rocking right into 2025. All aboard the Ben Franklin Yacht for a New Year’s Eve celebration you won’t forget. Enjoy four hours of music, dancing, a premium open bar and 360-degree views of the stars as you wait for the waterfront fireworks show to set the sky above the yacht ablaze.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | 9:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.

It’s impossible to get closer to the New Year’s Eve Fireworks on the Waterfront than from the water itself aboard a vessel from City Cruises Philadelphia. The three-hour cruise includes an open bar, buffet dining and DJ sets. The night ends with views of the waterfront fireworks show and a sparkling wine toast for guests over 21 years of age. Tickets are required and upgrades are available.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | 9 p.m. – 2 a.m.

Get the star treatment at this stylish party at the Pyramid Club, 500 feet above the streets of Center City. The annual, lavish gala — held inside the penthouse of the BNY Mellon building — features a five-hour open bar, buffet stations and DJ sets. Through the skyscraper’s 20-foot-tall floor-to-ceiling windows, take in sweeping views of local landmarks like City Hall and the Philadelphia Museum of Art and — maybe most importantly — the waterfront fireworks show.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | 10 p.m. – 1 a.m.

Get a front-row seat to the fireworks show at Cherry Street Pier. The waterfront destination hosts a special adults-only New Year’s on the Pier celebration, kicking off at 10 p.m. on the industrial pier with music and dancing. Tickets are required, and food and drink are pay as you go. Guests must be 21 years of age or older to attend.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | Times vary by party

The odds must be in your favor this New Year’s Eve: Live! Casino & Hotel delivers NYE festivities from the casino floor to its top-notch eateries.

• Paint the Town Red: The South Philly casino takes on a festive hue on New Year’s Eve, so don your finest crimson and hit the floor for the chance to win one of 500 free slot play $25 giveaways, or the grand prize: free slot play for an entire year. The party doesn’t end there. Officially ring in the new year with live music by 3AM TOKYO, and a celebratory champagne toast and confetti drop at midnight.
• The Ultimate NYE Tailgate Celebration at Sports & Social: Celebrate New Year’s Eve with your fellow sports fans over wings, beer and other gameday bites at Live! Casino & Hotel’s signature sports bar, Sports & Social. With a massive 52-foot screen and 24 TVs, you won’t miss a single play, pass or touchdown.
• New Year’s Eve Dinner at The Prime Rib: Wine and dine your way into the new year at the casino’s award-winning steakhouse and cocktail lounge. Violinist Somer Jordan and vocalist Mare Floyd set the mood as you toast to 2025 with complimentary party favors, apéritifs from the Moet Ice Luge and a glass of champagne.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | Times vary by party

Who likes to party? We like to party! And Riot Nerd’s got you a NYE bash for every vibe.

• 80’s, 90’s 00’s NYE Party at The 700: Make new memories while reliving the old and rediscovering the music of yesteryear as DJs Josh Baker and George Purkins spin through three decades worth of hits.
• Now That’s What I Call New Year’s Eve: A Y2K NYE Dance Party at World Cafe Live: Nothing gets us moving like a good throwback.  Party like it’s 1999 at this all-ages shindig at The Lounge at World Cafe Live. Rock your best Y2K ensemble (Jersey dress perhaps? Maybe a tracksuit?) and get down to your favorite pop and club hits from the 1990s and early 2000s.
• Charli XCX & Chappell Roan Party at Underground Arts: The new generation of pop princesses (queens, really) owned 2024. It’s only right we send the year off right, dancing to the instant classics that fueled our brat summers (winters and falls).

Ahh, NYE — the night out of all nights out. And Center City’s liveliest nightclubs, bars and nightlife venues do not disappoint. Lucky for us, Joonbug has curated a selection of 14 of Philly’s best parties — all promising a five-hour open bar, live DJs, midnight toasts and top-quality vibes — to make planning your NYE moves super easy. Choose from the covert barbershop-by-day, bar-by-night Blind Barber; the luxurious Studio 54-inspired speakeasy Sushi by Bou Midtown; the chic lounge at The Winston; the laid-back-cool pub Finn McCool’s Ale House; and more. Why limit yourself to just one stop? Get access to multiple spots with Joonbug’s All Access NYE Pass.

*DJ air horn noise* This high-energy party in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex features confetti cannons, food and drink packages, live party anthems from Go Go Gadjet, multiple DJ sets, and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. And if that’s not enough, the party spans all seven venues inside of Xfinity Live! — including NBC Sports Arena, PBR Philly and Victory Beer Hall — and includes a silent disco, (decidedly not silent) karaoke and bull riding. Tickets are required, and VIP upgrades are available.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | 9 p.m. – 1 a.m.

Seasonal riverfront hotspot Morgan’s Pier takes its signature party atmosphere indoors for a takeover of Northern Liberties’ Craft Hall. The ticketed event features live music from Ear Candy, DJ sets by DJ Adub, an open bar, light bites (unlimited hot dogs!) and a champagne toast at midnight.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | 9 p.m. – 1 a.m.

Dress to impress for this party under the stars at the swanky Stratus Rooftop Lounge — located atop the Kimpton Hotel Monaco — featuring an open bar, special New Year’s-themed cocktails and entertainment from DJ Capps.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | 9 p.m. – 1:45 a.m.

Choose your own New Year’s adventure at the W Philadelphia. The luxury hotel offers two different parties with distinct vibes:

• In the Living Room, enjoy a lounge-like atmosphere with live music and laidback vibes.
• Feeling a bit more … out there? Gravitate to the Wet Bar for high-energy DJ sets courtesy of Krispy Presents: Club Advisory.

Wherever you decide to hang, canapés, a roving oyster shucker and Veuve Clicquot round out the evening’s offerings. Tickets are required.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | 9 p.m. – 2 a.m.

Cue the nostalgia … From boy bands and girl groups to grunge and gangsta rap, relive your 1990s glory days at this free, 21-plus party at Rivers Casino. Countdown to midnight as ’90s aficionado, Nine Deez Nite, runs back your favorite tunes from radio and MTV’s golden age. Also, on deck: complimentary party favors, a midnight champagne toast and giveaways.

Throw your hands in the air and raise the roof as DJ Mickey and friends spin, scratch and remix beloved Disney songs when Disney on Ice Presents Let’s Dance comes to the Wells Fargo Center. Experience a variety of colorful and interactive Disney worlds, while popular characters like Moana, Simba and Elsa skate and dance to the high-energy beats. Witness virtuoso figure skating, thrilling stunts and high-flying acrobatics performed to a playlist of your favorite tunes, with character cameos from Wish, Frozen 2, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid and more.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | 6:30 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.

SOUTH, one of Philadelphia’s premier jazz clubs, presents a sexy and soulful New Year’s Eve celebration featuring a three-course meal of Southern cuisine and the musical stylings of Warren Oree’s Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble and featured vocalist Sherry Wilson-Butler. With two seatings to choose from, you can enjoy an early dinner and one musical set before catching the fireworks or indulge in dinner and two sets of performances before counting down to midnight with the band and a roomful of jazz lovers.

Say goodbye to 2024 and “hey” to 2025 with conductor Marin Alsop and the Philadelphia Orchestra as you ring in the new year during a party full of hits, classics and a rousing Auld Lang Syne singalong. This year’s NYE concert is a tribute to dance, and selections include Viennese waltzes, Bernstein’s mambo and the Charleston, and Caleb Teicher and Company help to bring the music to life with performances of their own. Don’t miss the Philadelphia Orchestra debut of a 13-year-old prodigy, violist Himari Yoshimura.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | 7 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.

Philly natives and musical powerhouses Aja Graydon and Fatin Dantzler, better known as Kindred the Family Soul, helped to establish Philly’s neo-soul sound alongside Philly greats like Jill Scott, Jazmine Sullivan and Musiq Soulchild. Less of a homecoming and more of a family reunion, the soulful duo (and married couple) return to the City Winery stage for the fourth year in a row for a special New Year’s Eve concert featuring hits like Far Away and House of Love.

Philly’s unofficial ambassadors of funktastic fun know how to party, and this year, the beloved musicians of SNACKTIME have their eyes set on the stars for their second annual New Year’s Eve bash. The genre-bending brass band blends elements of jazz, punk and R&B for a special set with more than enough energy to carry you into the new year. So get ready to go on a sonic odyssey from Fishtown to the moon and back — all before midnight — during this 21-plus show at Brooklyn Bowl.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | 9 a.m. & 1 p.m.

Kick off the new year a few hours early with music, dancing, a special kid-friendly countdown and a ball drop at the Please Touch Museum’s Countdown 2 Noon party. A DJ is on deck spinning tunes for the little ones to jump, spin and groove to, and families are invited to enjoy a variety of hands-on activities during the event.

Celebrate 2025’s arrival with your little ones and everyone’s favorite LEGO characters at a midday New Year’s Eve celebration at Montgomery County’s Legoland. Featuring a Lego ball drop and apple cider toast followed by a groovy dance party, the festivities are sure to spark creativity and fun well into the new year. Be sure to arrive early to pick up your complimentary noise maker (while supplies last) and catch the countdown.

This ticketed, family-friendly party on Cherry Street Pier features hands-on games and activities from PopUpPlay and make-and-take crafting stations. At 6 p.m., press pause on playtime to enjoy a front-row view of the riverfront’s gorgeous fireworks.

Wrangle up the kiddos and head to Franklin Square for an hour of free crafting activities before the annual ceremonial “square drop” from the top of the on-site SquareBurger at 6 p.m. Stick around to watch the 6 p.m. fireworks on the waterfront, which are visible from the historic park.

It’s Count von Count’s time to shine. The Count is joined by furry friends like Elmo, Cookie Monster and Abby Cadabby to celebrate the new year a few hours early with a dazzling display of red, green and blue. Sesame Place’s fireworks show kicks off at 6 p.m. and is included in regular admission. Note: Admission to the park is stopped a few minutes before the show begins, so plan to arrive on the early side.

Philadelphia meets the Amalfi Coast at Old City’s Positano Coast. This New Year’s Eve, indulge in an elegant meal of Mediterranean-inspired seafood, pasta and more followed by a swanky after-dinner party, complete with a cash bar, live DJ, party favors and complimentary midnight toast, starting at 10 p.m.

Dinner at Chef Christopher Kearse’s acclaimed contemporary French restaurant? Count us in any day. Discuss all your New Year’s plans over a delectable, one-night-only five-course meal at Forsythia in Old City. Trust us, this tasting menu, with dishes like endive salad, bay scallop carpaccio and pavlova for dessert, is the perfect end to a festive evening or start to your night out.

Kiddo in Washington Square dishes up the perfect prelude to your New Year’s Eve plans with this five-course dinner highlighting the bounty of Pennsylvania. Homegrown produce and bites take center stage with smoked mushroom risotto, spiced sweet potato ravioli and pork tenderloin all on the one-night-only menu. Cocktails and wine pairings are also available for an additional cost.

Snag your table and celebrate New Year’s Eve on the Avenue of the Arts with Loch Bar’s dinner specials, which include spicy jumbo tiger prawns, harissa-glazed Chilean seabass and pan-seared sea scallops with truffle risotto. At midnight, toast with champagne or a signature cocktail like the Heart of Gold, made with Four Roses bourbon, apricot, lemon, honey and cinnamon.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Located on Front Street just a few hundred feet from the Delaware River, the nearly two-century-old building housing the luxurious Penn’s View Hotel features some of the best up-close street-level views of the evening’s fireworks. Enjoy New Year’s Eve dinner at on-site restaurant Panorama with a special three-course prix fixe menu offered over two seatings timed for each fireworks show, including a complimentary glass of prosecco.

Good music + good company + good vibes = a recipe for a great house party. All the ingredients come together at Love City Brewing for a perfectly laid-back New Year’s Eve celebration. With no dress code, free admission and an epic midnight balloon drop to boot, all you have to do is come ready to dance your way into 2025 to jams courtesy of Mac Wondo.

Take your New Year’s Eve celebration to new heights from a winter Carnaval on the rooftop of El Techo. This all-inclusive NYE party embodies the vibrance and joy of Carnaval in Rio with dancing; food including tacos, passed appetizers and dessert; and cocktails, beer, wine and nonalcoholic libations from an open bar. Ben Arsenal and DJ Royal provide the music leading up to the midnight balloon/confetti drop and champagne toast. Tickets are required.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | 10:30 p.m. – 2 a.m.

Deejay Jonathan provides the tunes during a high-octane celebration featuring dancing, confetti drops, a midnight countdown and more at Cuba Libre in Old City. Get the celebrations started early with the Dinner & Dancing package, which includes a four-course prix fixe meal of Cuban classics like ceviche cangrejo and cerdo a la parilla, non-alcoholic drinks, a champagne toast, and party favors.

Chester County’s horticultural haven rings in 2025 with an evening of back-to-back musical performances among its lush gardens, fantastic fountain shows and spectacular light displays. Guests can enjoy two performances on the attraction’s signature Longwood Organ — the largest residential Aeolian ever constructed. New Year’s Eve visitors can also expect performances by the Olde Towne Carolers, the Duly Noted Quartet and the Galena Brass band. Recorded organ music can be heard beginning at 2 p.m., while the live performances begin at 4 p.m.

The cute town of Kennett Square, with its specialty shops and farm-to-table dining, doubles as both a charming travel destination and the mushroom capital of the world, producing about 60% of the country’s mushrooms. Fittingly, the small town celebrates the start of every new year with its music, entertainment and its annual midnight Mushroom Drop, where a giant, illuminated ʼshroom (instead of a ball) is hoisted 80 feet into the air and descends just in time for the clock to strike midnight.

Mum’s the word! Start the year off with one of Philly’s most famous traditions, when more than 10,000 costumed marchers — many of whom practice all year for this one-day celebration — strut their stuff on the streets of Philadelphia in a sea of sequins, feathers, face paint and umbrellas. The perfectly Philly parade kicks off at City Hall before heading down Broad Street to Washington Avenue in South Philly. Show up a little early to snag your favorite viewing spot along the route, or reserve a ticket for bleacher seating.