The sky is ablaze each New Year’s Eve, as small towns and big cities around the globe launch professional public displays. Yet, not all New Year’s fireworks shows are the same. Some are particularly long, others are especially colorful, and still others have a theme that changes each year. While everyone has their favorites, if you are looking for someplace to welcome in the New Year with a bang, why not head to one of these top New Year’s fireworks destinations?
Las Vegas
Affectionately known as Sin City, Las Vegas, Nevada, is well known for its excesses. After all, where else can you ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower, take a Venetian gondola ride, and visit the Roman forum before riding an angled inclinator to your room in an Egyptian pyramid? With eight different Cirque du Soleil shows, dozens of free performances, and hundreds of entertainment options of every stripe, Las Vegas is a party for the senses at any time of year. Is it any wonder that the city tops our list of extravagant New Year’s Eve fireworks destinations?
Whether you want to pack shoulder to shoulder with 300,00 of your new best friends along the Strip, head to the Downtown Countdown event under the lights at the Fremont Street Experience, or party like a rock star at one of the casino hotel parties, the fireworks spectacle is best viewed from a high location such as the top of a parking garage or an upper balcony. Midnight brings a wonderfully choreographed fireworks display launched from the casinos along the Strip. Afterwards, when most cities’ parties start winding down, Las Vegas goes right back to its regular 24-hour entertainment.
Rio de Janeiro
For a hot and spicy New Year’s Eve, make your way to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. After all, the city renowned for its Carnival excesses certainly knows how to party. And while the Northern hemisphere is bundled up against the cold, it’s the height of summer for our Southern neighbors, the perfect time for a steamy beach vacation.
While there are smaller celebrations on offer across town, the main festivities take place on the famed Copacabana Beach. Party like a local by heading directly out onto the beach, where you are likely to be sprayed with champagne as a sign of good luck. Or, if you prefer, book a room on a high floor at a beachfront hotel where you will have a birds-eye view of the fun. Either way, the midnight fireworks display, launched from a series of barges just offshore, is definitely not to be missed.
New York City
Broadcast live from New York City’s Times Square, New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, hosted by Dick Clark from 1973 until his death in 2012, has been a long-standing TV tradition. Now hosted by Ryan Seacrest, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve remains a fan favorite. But why watch on TV instead of joining in the festivities? The iconic ball has actually been dropping since 1907, and the spectacle only grows in grandeur each year.
Granted, being part of the crowd is an exercise in masochism, since you’ll need to stake out a spot amongst the one million revelers no later than 3 p.m., and stand there until after midnight, but you will be rewarded with fireworks displays every hour on the hour from the time the ball is raised at 6 p.m. until its midnight drop. Celebrity music performances, free party favors, a blizzard of confetti, and the knowledge that you are part of the show being watched by roughly a billion people around the world can help ease the inevitable pain of standing for so long.
Sydney
One of the first big cities to welcome in the New Year, Sydney, Australia, has the eyes of the world on its fireworks festivities. An estimated one billion people watch on television each year, and Sydney outstrips even New York City in live attendance, with more than 1.6 million visitors crowding into the city for the night.
If you want to join the throngs, plan ahead. Choose from dozens of free viewing locations and show up very early, or pay for a ticket to any of the hundreds of parties. The festivities include the Harbor of Light boat parade, a family-friendly 9 p.m. fireworks show and, of course, the spectacular and highly technologically advanced midnight display.
Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom
The Disney parks have long been known for their high-quality, technologically advanced, tightly choreographed nightly fireworks shows. If you have never been to the Magic Kingdom on New Year’s Eve, though, you are truly missing out. Christmas is still in full swing, and midnight brings a spectacular version of the original Fantasy in the Sky fireworks, the predecessor to today’s nightly Wishes show, complete with 360 degree pyrotechnics around the park.
Pro Tips: The Magic Kingdom reaches capacity very early in the day, making it tough to even walk through the park. If you’re not a fan of shoulder to shoulder crowds, make your way to the fourth floor balcony of the Contemporary Resort instead. The crowd is much thinner, the music is piped in, and you will have a tremendous birds-eye view. Or catch the show one night early—Disney does a test run on December 30 each year, freeing you up to see Epcot’s extended Illuminations performance on New Year’s Eve.
At Dynamite Fireworks, we don’t only sell top-quality, name-brand fireworks. We also provide the information you need to know to use them responsibly, legally, and safely. If you have any questions or concerns, give us a call at (219) 937-4090. We look forward to becoming your one-stop shop for all your fireworks needs!
