New Year's Eve in Denver 2026: Fireworks, Decadence and the Best Parties

New Year's Eve is a Thursday this year. Some of the big stuff is already locked in, like Decadence and the downtown fireworks. The dinners and parties drop their details through November and December. Here's what's confirmed for 2026, what comes back every year, and how to plan the night.

The quick picks

• Biggest party: Decadence at the Colorado Convention Center.
• Best free plan: the 7 p.m. drone show, then fireworks at 9 or midnight.
• Best dinner: Nocturne's New Year's Eve, with jazz and two seatings.
• Best smaller show: The Polish Ambassador with Mark Farina at the Fillmore.
• Best with kids: Noon Year's Eve at the Children's Museum, then the 9 p.m. fireworks.

Free

Downtown fireworks, 9 p.m. and midnight

Two free fireworks shows go off from downtown rooftops at 9 p.m. and midnight. Each runs about eight minutes. The best views are from 16th Street. The 9 p.m. show is the move if you have kids or a party to get to.

Tivoli Quad: drones and the Mile High Tree

The nightly Mile High Drone Show runs one last time on December 31 at 7 p.m., with 600 drones over the Tivoli Quad on the Auraria Campus. The 110-foot Mile High Tree does its own countdown at 9 p.m. Both are free. The tree and the Christkindlmarket are part of our holiday lights and markets guide.

Decadence, December 30 and 31

Decadence is the biggest New Year's party in Colorado: two nights of electronic music at the Colorado Convention Center. The 2026 lineup includes Marshmello, DJ Snake, Excision, GRiZ, Zeds Dead, Alesso, Green Velvet, Lane 8, Seven Lions, Sullivan King, Levity, ISOxo and Black Tiger Sex Machine.

If you only do one night, do the 31st for the countdown. Tickets are on decadencenye.com. Plan your ride home before you go, since that's the hardest part of the night. For the rest of the year's big dance nights, see Denver's best nightclubs.

Concerts and comedy

• The Polish Ambassador with Mark Farina and Flamingosis at the Fillmore Auditorium, Thursday, December 31, at 7:30 p.m. This is the dance party for anyone who wants a real show without a convention-center crowd.
• Comedy Works runs New Year's Eve shows every year, and the late show ends with a midnight toast. Last year's headliner was Emo Philips. Watch their site for the 2026 lineup.
• The Grizzly Rose throws a New Year's Eve bash for the country crowd.

The Ogden, Mission Ballroom and Bluebird usually announce New Year's shows in the fall. Check back in November, and see our Denver concert venues guide for what each room is like.

Dinners and parties

These come back every year. Most haven't posted 2026 details yet, and the popular ones can sell out in December, so watch for them.

• Nocturne in RiNo is planning its 10th annual New Year's Eve, with early and late dinner seatings plus bar-only tickets. It's the best dinner-and-music night in town.
• Union Station turns the Great Hall into a party with sparkling stations and a live DJ.
• Cooper Lounge, upstairs at Union Station, does a masquerade with unlimited cocktails and a midnight toast. The last listed price was $175 a person before tax and tip.
• Sheraton Denver Downtown hosts a cocktail party with a five-and-a-half-hour open bar, a midnight champagne toast and a patio that looks out at the fireworks.
• Clocktower Cabaret in the D&F Tower puts on a New Year's Eve burlesque show.
• The ART Hotel throws a rooftop party with a DJ and an ice-carving display. More views in our rooftop bar guide.
• Elway's Downtown and The Nickel at Hotel Teatro both do special New Year's dinners, and The Nickel's has run from 5 to 10 p.m., which works if you want to be done before midnight.

With kids

The Children's Museum of Denver does Noon Year's Eve, with a ball drop every hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., so kids get a countdown and a nap. In the evening, Larimer Square's free light displays and the 9 p.m. fireworks make for an early night out.

Getting home

In recent years RTD has made buses and trains free from 7 p.m. on New Year's Eve to 7 a.m. on New Year's Day. Confirm it for 2026 closer to the date. Otherwise, expect surge pricing on rideshares right after midnight. Waiting 20 minutes after midnight, or walking a few blocks out of downtown before you call a car, usually helps. Our nightlife safety guide covers the rest.

Planning tips

• Book dinner the day reservations open. Prime-time seatings go first.
• Dress for standing outside. Fireworks plus a December night in Denver means real layers.
• Pick your fireworks show. The 9 p.m. show and the Mile High Tree countdown happen at the same time, so choose one and catch the other at midnight.

For the rest of the month, see things to do in Denver in December, and the Denver nightlife guide for every other weekend.

Keep Exploring

• Denver Holiday Lights and Markets 2026: Dates, Prices and Which Are Worth It
• Denver Nightlife: Where to Go Out by Neighborhood (2026)
• The Best Nightclubs in Denver Right Now (2026)
• Best Rooftop Bars in Denver (2026)
• Things to Do in Denver in December 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What time are the Denver New Year's Eve fireworks?

Two free shows at 9 p.m. and midnight from downtown rooftops, each about eight minutes long. The best views are from 16th Street.

When is Decadence 2026?

December 30 and 31, 2026, at the Colorado Convention Center. The lineup includes Marshmello, DJ Snake, Excision, GRiZ, Zeds Dead and Alesso.

Is RTD free on New Year's Eve?

In recent years RTD has made buses and trains free from 7 p.m. on New Year's Eve to 7 a.m. on New Year's Day. Confirm the 2026 hours closer to the date.

What is a good New Year's Eve plan with kids in Denver?

Noon Year's Eve at the Children's Museum of Denver during the day, then the free 9 p.m. fireworks downtown.