The Vending Lot Report: Major New Year’s Eve Shows & Televised Specials Welcoming 2026

As the clock winds down on 2025, The Vending Lot takes a deep dive into the biggest New Year’s Eve concerts, televised specials, citywide celebrations, and intimate live performances happening across the globe. From national broadcast spectacles reaching millions of living rooms to packed arenas, jazz clubs, orchestral halls, and outdoor festivals, New Year’s Eve 2025–2026 is shaping up to be one of the most musically diverse transitions into a new year yet.

Whether you’re planning a night out, watching from home, or following the culture surrounding live events, this Vending Lot Report brings everything together in one place—while celebrating the artists, venues, and communities that make New Year’s Eve unforgettable.

Televised New Year’s Eve Specials & National Broadcasts

For viewers ringing in the New Year from home, the major networks are delivering wall-to-wall entertainment with star-studded lineups and coast-to-coast celebrations.

Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2026 (ABC)

Airing live from 8:00 PM to 4:00 AM ET on December 31, this iconic broadcast remains the centerpiece of televised New Year’s Eve.

• Headliner: Diana Ross
• Featured Performers: Mariah Carey, Post Malone, Chappell Roan, Demi Lovato, Maren Morris, 50 Cent, Charlie Puth, OneRepublic, Pitbull
• Additional Artists: AJR, Chance the Rapper, Goo Goo Dolls, New Kids on the Block, and Le Sserafim

With performances spread across multiple cities and time zones, the show captures the scale and excitement of a truly national celebration.

New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash (CBS)

New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash is a five-hour television special airing on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ on Wednesday, December 31, 2025. The event is a massive free celebration held at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park in downtown Nashville, culminating in the city’s signature “Music Note Drop” at midnight Central Time. 

2025–2026 Lineup and Hosts

• Hosts: Country star HARDY and comedian Bert Kreischer will co-host the main event. Social media personality Haley Baylee will serve as the New York City correspondent for the East Coast countdown.
• Headliners: Performances at Bicentennial Park feature Lainey Wilson, Jason Aldean, and Bailey Zimmerman.
• Special Guests: The main stage will also include legendary gospel singer CeCe Winans and the Fisk Jubilee Singers.
• Additional Performers: The five-hour broadcast will include sets from various Nashville venues by Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts, Riley Green, Megan Moroney, Zach Top, Gretchen Wilson, Marcus King, Stephen Wilson Jr., and Dwight Yoakam. 

Event Schedule & Broadcast Times

• Television Air Times: 8:00–10:00 PM ET/PT and 10:30 PM–1:30 AM ET/PT.
• Live Event Gates: Open at 5:30 PM CT for those attending in person at Bicentennial Park.
• Midnight Moments: The special covers the Times Square ball drop at 12:00 AM ET and the Nashville Music Note Drop with fireworks at 12:00 AM CT. 

In-Person Details for Attendees

• Admission: The main concert at Bicentennial Park is free and open to the public.
• Watch Party: An official in-person watch party will be held at Luke Combs’ Category 10 venue, featuring a performance by Dwight Yoakam and Marcus King.
• Rules: Only clear bags are permitted; backpacks and umbrellas are prohibited.

Broadcast live from downtown Nashville, this country-and-crossover-heavy celebration highlights Music City’s energy.

• Other Notable Performers: Moon Taxi (live at Brooklyn Bowl Nashville)
• Additional acts appear across Broadway stages, blending live concerts with the city’s signature party atmosphere.

Headlining Concerts & Festival Highlights

Beyond television, some of the most anticipated New Year’s Eve experiences are happening live, loud, and in person.

• LL Cool J headlines a free outdoor concert on Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway, offering a massive, community-centered way to ring in 2026.
• DJ Snake brings high-impact production to Brooklyn Storehouse in New York City.
• Decadence Arizona delivers an EDM-heavy New Year’s Eve festival featuring Adventure Club and other electronic favorites.
• Swedish House Mafia caps the year with a special New Year’s Eve show in the San Francisco Bay Area, combining spectacle and festival-scale energy.

Phish continues its legendary annual New Year’s Eve run at Madison Square Garden, a tradition that blends marathon performances with surprise moments fans wait all year for.

Phish is continuing its annual New Year’s Eve tradition with a four-night run at Madison Square Garden in New York City from Sunday, December 28, 2025, through Wednesday, December 31, 2025. The run is known for marathon performances and elaborate, highly anticipated “gags” or surprise theatrical moments that ring in the new year. 

Event Details

• Dates: December 28, 29, 30, and 31, 2025.
• Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY.
• Show Time: 7:30 PM ET nightly.
• Tickets: Tickets are available via Ticketmaster, with resale options available through platforms like StubHub. 

The Phish NYE Tradition

This year’s four-night stand marks the band’s 18th New Year’s run at the venue and will bring their total number of performances at “The Garden” to 91. The New Year’s Eve shows are famous for their unique, often elaborate, and carefully planned stunts that occur during the third set as midnight approaches. 

Past gags have included:

• The “Time Factory” performance in 1995.
• The band playing on a stage covered in green Astroturf and hitting golf balls into the crowd for a “Garden Party” theme in 2012.
• A “time-traveling” performance through their 40-year history in 2022.
• Dancers, aerialists, and complex stage setups involving giant props, such as the white coils and “fractured face” in 2024. 

Fans can also purchase a multi-night webcast pass via LivePhish to stream the shows in 4K or HD from home

Regional New Year’s Eve Events & City Traditions

New York City

• Times Square Ball Drop: Live entertainment begins at 6:00 PM, leading up to the world’s most famous countdown.
• The Roxy Hotel: Hosts the stylish “New York New York 2026” party, blending live music and late-night energy.
• Acclaimed GRAMMY-nominated band Gov’t Mule, led by guitar legend, vocalist, songwriter and producer Warren Haynes returns to the famed Beacon Theatre in New York City, the longstanding home of Mule’s New Year’s shows, for back-to-back nights

Philadelphia

• Waterfront Fireworks: Displays at 6:00 PM and midnight along the Delaware River.
• Philadelphia Orchestra: A refined New Year’s Eve Celebration at the Kimmel Center.

Atlantic City

• The West at Caesars: Live music featuring Lost In Paris and The Benderz, perfect for casino-hopping and late-night celebrations.

Lehigh Valley

• PEEPSFEST® at SteelStacks: A family-friendly event featuring live music and the iconic Peep Drop at 5:35 PM, ideal for early celebrations.

Comedy & Theater for New Year’s Eve

Not every countdown requires a concert—comedy and theater also play a major role in the night’s entertainment.

• John Oliver: Live New Year’s Eve performance (check local listings, including venues like The Met Philadelphia).
• Chris Monty: Hosts the Comedy Countdown at Newtown Theatre.
• Annie (The Musical): A festive stage performance at the Media Theatre, perfect for families and theater fans.

Spotlight Performances: Jazz, Classical & Club Shows

New York City

• Robyn & Friends – Brooklyn Paramount: A dance-forward, celebratory concert featuring special guests.
• Peter Cincotti – Café Carlyle: A black-tie gala blending jazz, pop standards, and sophistication.
• Jazzmeia Horn – Smoke Jazz & Supper Club: An all-star band performance rich in vocal power and improvisation.
• Allan Harris Trio – Smalls Jazz Club: Late-night jazz storytelling in one of NYC’s most intimate rooms.

London

• Yung Singh & Todd Edwards – Troxy: Part of the Cirque Du Soul NYE event, delivering house and garage-driven energy.
• The English Concert – Wigmore Hall: Handel performed with historical precision.
• Warren Mailley-Smith – St Mary le Strand: Candlelight piano featuring Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.
• Ian Shaw – Vortex Jazz Club: The annual New Year’s Eve Bash, a favorite among London’s jazz faithful.

Philadelphia

• The Philadelphia Orchestra – Verizon Hall: Classical favorites and celebratory selections.
• West Philly Orchestra – Black Squirrel Club: Genre-blending chaos with Dr. Thunder Karaoke.
• Joe Napoli Latin Jazz Ensemble – Four Seasons Hotel: Elegant Latin jazz rhythms ideal for dancing into the New Year.

The Vending Lot Take

At The Vending Lot, we view New Year’s Eve as a snapshot of live culture at its most expressive—where massive broadcasts coexist with club shows, orchestras, jazz trios, DJs, comedians, and theater productions. It’s one night where every genre finds its moment, and every audience finds its sound.

As you plan your New Year’s Eve or reflect on the performances that define the transition into 2026, don’t forget to check out The Vending Lot Merch Stand for event-ready gear and lifestyle staples inspired by live music culture:
👉 https://thevendinglot.com/product-category/merch-stand/

From stages and screens to streets and concert halls, The Vending Lot will continue to spotlight the moments that shape live entertainment—one unforgettable night at a time.