New Year's Eve 2026 in Minneapolis–St. Paul is Thursday, December 31: the Minnesota Orchestra plays Boléro at Orchestra Hall at 8:30 p.m. and then counts down to midnight with champagne, the Crystal Ball fills the IDS Center's 50th floor from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., and families count down at 6:30 p.m. on the ice in Bloomington.
This guide compares 26 New Year's Eve events in and near the Twin Cities with their times, and their prices where the organizers publish them. No public fireworks are announced in Minneapolis or St. Paul for 2026.
Checked November 2, 2026. Not announced yet: First Avenue's and Skyway Theatre's New Year's Eve shows, Mystic Lake's plans, Can Can Wonderland's party, Como Zoo's Noon Year, Buck Hill's fireworks, the Arboretum's party night and Metro Transit's New Year's Eve service.
New Year's Eve 2026 in Minneapolis–St. Paul at a glance
The main evening events of New Year's Eve 2026 in Minneapolis–St. Paul, all on Thursday, December 31, are in this table; family events have their own table further down.
| What | Where | When | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boléro: A New Year's Celebration | Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis | 8:30 p.m., then a countdown | $49–$134 |
| Crystal Ball "Midnight Carnival" | IDS Center, 50th floor, Minneapolis | 8 p.m.–2 a.m., 21+ | $108.46; $96.50 each for four |
| Gryffin New Year's Eve | The Armory, Minneapolis | Doors 8:30, show 9 p.m., 18+ | On Ticketmaster |
| Davina and the Vagabonds | Dakota Jazz Club, Minneapolis | 6 p.m. dinner show, 11 p.m. show | From $125.38 |
| Buena Vista Social Club | Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis | 7:30 p.m., ages 8+ | On Ticketmaster |
| Annie and two more dinner shows | Chanhassen Dinner Theatres | 1 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. | Annie evening $145–$185.08 |
| Joyann Parker Band | Crooners, Fridley | 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. | $50–$60 |
| Flocked Around and Found Out | Parkway Theater, Minneapolis | Comedy 7:30 p.m., all ages | From $68.07 |
| Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets | Target Center, Minneapolis | 3 p.m. | On the team's ticket page |
| Minnesota Frost vs. Hamilton | Grand Casino Arena, St. Paul | 7 p.m. | On the team's ticket page |
Prices are per person as listed on November 2, 2026. The Crystal Ball's, Chanhassen's and the Parkway's include fees and tax; the Crystal Ball's are early-bird prices until December 1. Fourteen more events are described below.
New Year's Eve concerts in Minneapolis 2026
The Minnesota Orchestra plays Boléro: A New Year's Celebration at Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis, at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 31, 2026. Carlos Miguel Prieto conducts music of Spain by Debussy, Albéniz and Ravel, ending with Ravel's Boléro; the concert lasts about two hours with an intermission.
After the concert, the orchestra counts down to midnight with vintage jazz by Belle Amour and a free glass of champagne. Seats cost $49 to $134 on the orchestra's ticket page on November 2. The same program repeats on New Year's Day at 2 p.m.
Other New Year's Eve concerts with published times:
- The Dakota, Minneapolis: New Year's Eve with Davina and the Vagabonds, a dinner show at 6 p.m. ($185 with a four-course dinner) and a later show at 11 p.m. at the jazz club on Nicollet Mall, tickets from $125.38, according to the Dakota's event page.
- Crooners Supper Club, Fridley: Ringing in 2027 with the Joyann Parker Band, soul and blues in the Main Stage Showroom at 7:30 and 10:30 p.m., $50–$60, according to Crooners; doors open an hour earlier for dinner.
- Crooners, Dunsmore Jazz Room: singer Connie Evingson and pianist Jon Weber play Holiday at the Dunsmore Lodge at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m., $45–$55 on Crooners' page.
- Ames Center, Burnsville: Blue Violin's Retro Rock & Roll New Years at 7 p.m., according to the Ames Center.
- Medina Entertainment Center: the New Year's Eve Bash with the Fabulous Armadillos: doors 7 p.m., music 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., 21 and older, $35 general admission or $50 reserved plus fees, according to NOBOOL Presents.
Every other concert that night is in the Minneapolis–St. Paul concert calendar for December 31.
New Year's Eve shows and dinner theater in the Twin Cities
The Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis plays the Broadway musical Buena Vista Social Club at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 31, 2026, during its run from December 29 to January 3. Hennepin Arts gives it 2 hours 10 minutes with an intermission and recommends it for ages 8 and up; tickets are sold through Ticketmaster.
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, 501 West 78th Street in Chanhassen, has three New Year's Eve shows, each at 1 p.m. and in the evening. The evening shows come with a New Year's Eve menu and a glass of champagne, with dinner seating from 5:30 p.m. Chanhassen does not admit children under 5.
- Annie on the Main Stage, 1 and 7:30 p.m.: the evening show costs $145 to $185.08 a person with fees and tax, depending on the table.
- Vintage Vegas New Years in the Fireside Theatre, a big band led by Mick Sterling and Cate Fierro singing Sinatra, Bennett and Garland, 1 p.m. and evening: $130.65 with fees and tax. The ticket page gives the evening show at 7:30 p.m., the New Year's Eve page at 8.
- Dashing Through the Snow Plows, Stevie Ray's Comedy Cabaret's improvised holiday show in the Playhouse Theatre, 1 and 7:30 p.m.
Three more shows play on New Year's Eve 2026:
- Flocked Around and Found Out: Lizz Winstead's 2026 Year in Review at the Parkway Theater, 4814 Chicago Avenue in south Minneapolis, on December 30 and 31: doors 6:30 p.m., show 7:30 p.m. (the Parkway's page header gives 9 p.m. for December 31). General admission is $68.07 with fees in advance and $75 at the door; all ages.
- The Little Bummer Boy, the Brave New Workshop's holiday sketch comedy, at the Dudley Riggs Theatre in Minneapolis at 7:30 p.m., according to Hennepin Arts.
- Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas! at the Children's Theatre Company, 2400 Third Avenue South, at 2 and 5 p.m.: a family afternoon before the night.
A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie Theater and The Music Man at the Ordway both close on December 27; the Guthrie had not published December 31 times for And Then There Were None on November 2.
New Year's Eve parties in Minneapolis 2026
The Crystal Ball, at Windows at Marquette on the 50th floor of the IDS Center, 710 South Marquette Avenue, celebrates its 25th New Year's Eve in 2026 with "Midnight Carnival": 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Thursday, December 31, for ages 21 and over.
The Crystal Ball's Eventbrite page listed these early-bird prices with fees and tax on November 2, on sale until December 1: a guest ticket $108.46, $96.50 each in a party of four, a reserved table $156.27 a person, the dinner package $299.73 and dinner with a reserved table $335.59. The Crystal Ball gives no refunds, and parking at the IDS Center is paid.
Other New Year's Eve parties announced for 2026:
- Gryffin at The Armory: the DJ and producer, with Viperactive and Costa; doors 8:30 p.m., show 9 p.m., 18 and older.
- New Year's Eve party with DJ Hampster Dance at the Green Room in Uptown, 9 p.m., 21 and older.
- New Year's at the Island at Treasure Island Resort & Casino in Welch, about an hour southeast of the cities: from 7 p.m., 18 and older, with entertainment and food and drink specials, according to Treasure Island; the full schedule is not out yet.
First Avenue had no December 31 show at any of its venues on November 2; last year it held a dance night in the main room, a house and techno night at the Fine Line and a '90s party in the 7th St Entry. Can Can Wonderland's party in St. Paul is not announced yet either. Skyway Theatre's "New Years Eve 2026" page is its 2025 party (Wednesday, December 31, 2025), with nothing on December 31, 2026 in its calendar, and Mystic Lake listed no New Year's Eve event on November 2.
Family New Year's Eve in Minneapolis–St. Paul: noon and early countdowns
Family New Year's Eve events in Minneapolis–St. Paul in 2026 end early, with countdowns at noon or in the early evening. These have published their 2026 plans:
| Family event | Where | When | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sparklerama | Minnesota Children's Museum, St. Paul | Wednesday, Dec. 30, 6–9 p.m. | $30, members $15 |
| Noon-Years Eve Dance Party | Eagan Community Center | Thursday, Dec. 31, 10 a.m.–noon | Not listed |
| Sledding and S'mores | Richardson Nature Center, Bloomington | Thursday, Dec. 31, noon–4 p.m. | Free; register, bring s'mores supplies |
| New Year's Eve at the ROC | Recreation Outdoor Center, St. Louis Park | Thursday, Dec. 31, 4–6 p.m. | Free; skate rental $3 |
| New Year's Eve Skate | Bloomington Ice Garden | Thursday, Dec. 31, 4–7 p.m., countdown 6:30 | $8; skate rental free |
| New Year's Eve Party | Shoreview Community Center | Thursday, Dec. 31, 5–8 p.m. | $17; register by noon that day |
| Candlelight & Ice | Wood Lake Nature Center, Richfield | Thursday, Dec. 31, 5–9 p.m. | $8; advance tickets only |
| Northern Lights | Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chaska | Thursday, Dec. 31, 4:30–9:30 p.m. | $35, members $25, 15 and under free |
- Sparklerama at the Minnesota Children's Museum, 10 West Seventh Street, is the night before New Year's Eve. The museum closes at 4 p.m. and reopens at 6 for the party (Sparklerama on Evenitto); the ticket includes admission, music, dancing, party favors and crafts, and the early-bird code takes $5 off.
- Sledding and S'mores at Richardson Nature Center is free, but Three Rivers Park District asks you to register and to bring your own s'mores supplies (Sledding and S'mores on Evenitto).
- New Year's Eve at the ROC in St. Louis Park is outdoor skating under disco lights with music and refreshments (New Year's Eve at the ROC on Evenitto).
- Candlelight & Ice at Wood Lake is a candlelit walk on the trails, then marshmallows by the fire and hot cocoa inside. Richfield sells the tickets only in advance and gives no refunds.
- Northern Lights at the Arboretum is open on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. At the gate it costs $10 more if tickets are left, and children still need a ticket. The Arboretum's New Year's Eve party of last year is not announced for 2026.
- Snow tubing to midnight: Buck Hill in Burnsville keeps its tubing hill open until midnight on December 31; every hill's hours and prices are in our snow tubing guide.
Como Zoo's Noon Year's Dance Party (on December 31 and January 1 last winter, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.), Nickelodeon Universe's noon and 6 p.m. countdowns at Mall of America and the Roseville OVAL's skate had not posted their 2026 dates on November 2.
Are there New Year's Eve fireworks in Minneapolis?
Minneapolis and St. Paul have no public New Year's Eve fireworks announced for 2026: neither city, Meet Minneapolis nor Visit Saint Paul lists a display.
On New Year's Eve 2025 there were two displays near the cities. Rice Park in downtown St. Paul had fireworks around 8 p.m. as part of the World Junior Hockey Championship, according to Visit Saint Paul. Buck Hill in Burnsville set off free fireworks at midnight after a day of skiing and tubing; its page still showed that 2025 edition on November 2, 2026.
Sports on New Year's Eve 2026 in Minneapolis–St. Paul
Two Twin Cities teams play at home on Thursday, December 31, 2026:
- Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets at Target Center, 600 First Avenue North: tip-off at 3 p.m., doors at 2 p.m., so the game ends before an evening out.
- Minnesota Frost vs. Hamilton in the PWHL at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul at 7 p.m. Central, according to the Frost's schedule.
The Minnesota Wild play no game on New Year's Eve; their next home game is on Saturday, January 2.
Getting home on New Year's Eve: Metro Transit and parking
Metro Transit had not announced its New Year's Eve 2026 service on November 2. Free rides on New Year's Eve have depended on a sponsor: in 2024 the Metropolitan Council found none, FOX 9 reported. Check Metro Transit in late December before you count on a free or late train.
The Armory's event page links to a separate parking reservation, and the Crystal Ball's Eventbrite page says parking there is paid.
New Year's Day 2027 in Minneapolis–St. Paul
New Year's Day 2027 is a Friday. The Minnesota Orchestra repeats Boléro at Orchestra Hall at 2 p.m., Buena Vista Social Club plays the Orpheum at 7:30 p.m., and Northern Lights at the Arboretum is open from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Minnesota's state parks held First Day Hikes on January 1, 2026; the 2027 hikes are not announced yet.
Quick answers
What is there to do on New Year's Eve 2026 in Minneapolis? New Year's Eve 2026 in Minneapolis, Thursday, December 31, has the Minnesota Orchestra's Boléro concert and countdown at Orchestra Hall (8:30 p.m.), the Crystal Ball on the IDS Center's 50th floor (8 p.m.–2 a.m.), Gryffin at The Armory (9 p.m.), Davina and the Vagabonds at the Dakota (6 and 11 p.m.), Buena Vista Social Club at the Orpheum (7:30 p.m.) and the Timberwolves at Target Center (3 p.m.).
Are there fireworks in Minneapolis on New Year's Eve? No public New Year's Eve fireworks are announced in Minneapolis or St. Paul for 2026. Buck Hill in Burnsville had free midnight fireworks on New Year's Eve 2025 but had not announced 2026 on November 2.
What can families do on New Year's Eve in the Twin Cities? Family New Year's Eve events in the Twin Cities count down early: Eagan's Noon-Years Eve Dance Party (10 a.m.–noon), free sledding at Richardson Nature Center (noon–4 p.m., register), free skating at the ROC in St. Louis Park (4–6 p.m.), the Bloomington Ice Garden skate with a 6:30 p.m. countdown ($8) and, the night before, Sparklerama at the Minnesota Children's Museum.
Where can you have New Year's Eve dinner with a show in Minneapolis? New Year's Eve dinner with a show in the Twin Cities: Chanhassen Dinner Theatres' evening shows with a New Year's Eve menu and champagne (from $130.65), the Dakota's 6 p.m. dinner show with Davina and the Vagabonds, Crooners in Fridley, where dinner service starts an hour before the shows, and the Crystal Ball's dinner package ($299.73).
Is there a New Year's Eve countdown in downtown Minneapolis? No free public countdown is announced in downtown Minneapolis for 2026. The Minnesota Orchestra counts down for its concertgoers after Boléro, and the Crystal Ball, The Armory and the Green Room hold ticketed parties through midnight.
How much is the Crystal Ball in Minneapolis? The Crystal Ball costs $108.46 for a guest ticket, or $96.50 each in a party of four, up to $335.59 with dinner and a reserved table: early-bird prices with fees on sale until December 1, 2026, for ages 21 and over, with no refunds.
Is Metro Transit free on New Year's Eve 2026? Metro Transit had not announced free New Year's Eve rides for 2026 on November 2; free rides have depended on a sponsor in past years.
Is anything open on New Year's Day in Minneapolis? New Year's Day 2027, Friday, January 1, has the Minnesota Orchestra's Boléro at 2 p.m., Buena Vista Social Club at the Orpheum at 7:30 p.m. and Northern Lights at the Arboretum from 4:30 p.m.
Before the New Year, the Christmas markets, lights and concerts are in Christmas events in Minneapolis–St. Paul 2026.
Cover photo: downtown Minneapolis from the Stone Arch Bridge on a winter night, Mark Vancleave, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; illustrative photo.