Philadelphia’s supercharged New Year’s Eve festivities next week will set the stage for a banner year of special events in 2026 while aiming to give all residents, and a host of visitors, ways to celebrate the holiday, Mayor Cherelle Parker and city officials said Monday.
Parker touted the first-ever, free New Year’s Eve concert on the Parkway, which will be followed by simultaneous midnight fireworks shows both there and at the Delaware River waterfront. An earlier, family-friendly fireworks show over the river will take place at 6 p.m.
“As we stand on the eve of our nation’s 250th birthday, here in the birthplace of American democracy, we also carry a special responsibility at this moment that I also don’t want us to forget,” Parker said. “That’s a responsibility to celebrate in ways that not only uplift our city, but that honor our history and bring people together while ensuring that all of these moments are safe, respectful and welcoming for all.”
The four-hour concert will feature performances by LL Cool J, Philadelphia DJ Jazzy Jeff, musician and music director Adam Blackstone — who will perform a new song about Philly called “Brotherly Love” — the hard rock band Dorothy, and Technician the DJ. It’s the headliner’s return to the city after cancelling his Wawa Welcome America concert on July 4 in support of the then-striking municipal workers.
The evening will conclude with “the largest fireworks show the city of Philadelphia has ever seen,” said Joseph Forkin, CEO of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation. Rockets will launch from three river barges rather than the usual single barge.
“From Spruce Street Harbor Park to Cherry Street Pier, from Pennsport to Port Richmond, from the Parkway to the waterfront, we are going to light up the Philly sky for 2026. That means more places across the city for everybody to gather, celebrate and enjoy the magic,” he said at the City Hall press conference Monday.
The #1 tourist destination
The mayor and other officials described the amped-up celebration next week as another example of Philadelphia’s rising profile as a tourist destination. Parker noted that USA Today this month declared the New Year’s Day Mummers parade as the best holiday parade in the country.
“I was giddy the first time I heard it and I read it. I read it about three times in a row. Philadelphia has firmly established itself as a New Year celebration destination,” she said. “It’s a recognition of a tradition that is uniquely Philly and proudly community-driven.”
She also showed off a copy of a Wall Street Journal article from over the weekend, which named the city as the number-one place to visit in 2026, thanks to the raft of events planned for the coming months — six World Cup games, ongoing celebrations of the nation’s 250th anniversary, and a week of activities centered around Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game.
Philadelphia 2026 director Michael Newmuis said the city has invested over $120 million and worked with more than 60 agencies and community groups to produce activities next year.
“We’re investing in free arts and cultural programming, block parties and beautification projects, and neighborhoods across our great city,” he said.
Visitors planning to attend events, conferences and meetings have already booked 1.5 million room-nights in the city’s hotels for 2026 and are projected to spend $950 million, said Jennifer Nagle, a vice president at the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau.
She urged visitors coming for New Year’s to stay for a night or two, see the Mummers parade, and explore the city’s other attractions.
“When visitors stay overnight, that impact reaches our hotel workers. That impact reaches our restaurants, that impact reaches our cultural institutions, our small businesses, our neighborhood,” she said. “New Year’s isn’t just a celebration, it’s an economic engine, and we will feel it throughout the city.”
Space for 25,000 concertgoers
Officials said they have been planning the New Year’s activities for months, including logistics and security for the concert.
The show will be held at Eakins Oval, below the Art Museum steps on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. It will be fenced off, with a single entrance where attendees will be scanned for weapons and prohibited items, and have their bags checked.
Entrance is free on a first-come, first-served basis. Attendees can start entering at 6 p.m. and the show will start at 8 p.m. The entrance point is at Binswanger Triangle, 2300 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, at 22nd Street.
The central Oval area will have capacity for 10,000 people, and the outer area will have space for another 15,000, said Scott Mirkin, CEO of ESM Productions, the event organizer. The site is wheelchair accessible and will offer ADA-compliant portable toilets. Large screens will be installed so attendees standing far from the stage can view the concert.
On the waterfront, the Cherry Street Pier and Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest will be offering live entertainment, food and “cozy cabins” to escape the cold throughout the evening, and a replica Liberty Bell will be lowered at the pier to celebrate the New Year, Forkin said. The fireworks will be broadcast on NBC10 and Telemundo 62, and KYW News Radio will carry the fireworks soundtrack.
With temperatures forecast to fall into the 20s by midnight, Parker said she has asked city staff to see if they can set up ways for concert attendees to stay warm.
“I’m hoping and praying for heat lamps. I’m not guaranteeing them, Philadelphia,” she said, while adding that past events had demonstrated that “when we get together, our energy will make heat and warmth.”
Officials instructed eventgoers to dress warmly in layers, stay dry, wear mittens instead of gloves, cover their mouths with scarves or masks, and make sure small children stay warm, especially babies.
No gunfire, please
Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said the city will be using sanitation trucks to block automotive access to the concert area, as it has done for years to prevent the type of vehicle attacks on crowds that have occurred in other cities.
The police department will be flying drones and helicopters, too, and have marine units out on the rivers. It also has a “significant deployment plan” for security during the parade on Jan. 1.
He urged attendees not to try to bring guns or knives to the concert, and made the city’s annual plea for residents not to engage in celebratory gunfire anywhere.
“Just remember, whatever you put into the air will come down,” he said.
Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson likewise urged people not to set off fireworks, which are illegal in Philadelphia, or even to light sparklers, which he said can reach 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit and cause severe injuries.
“Leave all the pyrotechnics to the professionals,” he said. “Consider giving glow sticks and things like that to children if you want to celebrate.”
To receive updates from the city’s public safety team about weather, event status, and other alerts, residents can text NYEPHL to 888777.
Road closures planned
The city will close a number of roads and post “Temporary No Parking” signs in and around the concert area. Vehicles parked during the posted hours will be towed to a different location. To find a relocated car, call the police district of the area where the car was parked.
From 8 a.m. on New Year’s Eve through about 6 a.m. the following morning, these roads will be closed:
- Benjamin Franklin Parkway inner lanes from 20th Street to Eakins Oval
- Benjamin Franklin Parkway outbound outer lanes from 22nd Street to Eakins Oval
- Eakins Oval (all lanes)
- Spring Garden Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and 31st Street
- 23rd Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Eakins Oval
- MLK Drive from Sweet Briar Drive to Eakins Oval
- Kelly Drive between Eakins Oval and Fairmount Avenue (Kelly Drive inbound closed at Fountain Green Drive beginning at approximately 5 p.m.)
In addition, Kelly Drive from Fairmount Avenue to Fountain Green Drive will be closed from midnight to 1 a.m.
Because of the fireworks show, Lemon Hill Drive, Sedgley Drive, Waterworks Drive and Poplar Drive will be closed from 10 p.m. to about 1 a.m.
If needed, the police department may close additional roads from 6 p.m. until the show is over:
- Spring Garden Tunnel
- I-676 Off-Ramp at 22nd Street
- I-676 On-Ramp at 22nd Street
- I-76 eastbound Off-Ramp at Spring Garden Street
- 22nd Street between Winter Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
- 21st Street between Winter Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
Additional “No Parking” zones will include 2200-2300 Park Towne Place (north side) and 2200 Pennsylvania Avenue (south side).
