New Year's Eve 2026 in Raleigh: First Night Raleigh and the Acorn Drop downtown, Noon Year's Eve at Marbles and what changes on New Year's Day.

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Event details come from the organizers; we add the 2026 First Night program when Artsplosure posts it.

New Year’s Eve is Thursday, Dec. 31, 2026. Raleigh rings in the year by lowering a giant acorn downtown at First Night Raleigh, a tradition run by the arts nonprofit Artsplosure. For young children, Marbles Kids Museum counts down to noon instead.

Who to call

  • Marbles Kids Museum: 919-834-4040
  • City of Raleigh Solid Waste Services: 919-996-3245
  • GoRaleigh and regional transit info: 919-485-7433
  • Emergency: 911

First Night Raleigh and the Acorn Drop

WRAL First Night Raleigh fills downtown on New Year’s Eve. Artsplosure had not posted the 2026 lineup, ticket details or times when we checked. Last year’s program, from the event’s site, gives a sense of the night:

  • Afternoon: outdoor music at City Plaza and the Children’s Celebration from 2 p.m., with art stations open until 6 p.m. or while supplies last. Strollers were not allowed in the Children’s Celebration area.
  • 6 p.m.: the People’s Procession and parade from Fayetteville and Morgan streets, with Paperhand Puppet Intervention and the NCSU Pipes & Drums.
  • 7 p.m.: an early Acorn Drop and fireworks for families.
  • Evening: music and comedy at indoor venues downtown, a main stage at 400 Fayetteville St., and a Ferris wheel and rides on Fayetteville Street from 2 to 11 p.m.
  • Midnight: the Acorn Drop and fireworks, seen from Fayetteville Street and City Plaza.

A First Night ticket covered the rides, the silent disco, indoor activities, performances and the Children’s Celebration. Besides online sales, tickets were sold at three Raleigh Harris Teeter stores: 500 Oberlin Road, 9600 Falls of Neuse Road and 3201 Edwards Mill Road.

The acorn itself is a copper sculpture that normally stands in Moore Square.

Noon Year’s Eve at Marbles

Thursday, Dec. 31, Marbles Kids Museum, 201 E. Hargett St. Crafts, games, music and a bubble wrap pop, with a countdown as the museum’s ball drops at noon. A quiet countdown is held in the Under the Waves area. It is included with museum admission (Noon Year’s Eve page).

Restaurants and bars

We list New Year’s Eve dinners and parties only when the restaurant or venue announces them on its own site. None had posted 2026 plans when we checked. For places to eat out any night, see our date night guide.

New Year’s Day: what is open and closed

Friday, Jan. 1, 2027, is a city holiday. The city had not posted its 2027 notice when we checked. Last year, the city’s holiday alert said:

  • City administrative offices were closed on New Year’s Day.
  • Trash and recycling were pushed back one day starting on New Year’s Day.
  • The Yard Waste Center was closed on New Year’s Day.

GoRaleigh runs its Sunday schedule on New Year’s Day; routes that run only on weekdays do not operate (GoRaleigh holiday hours). Wake County’s waste and recycling drop-off sites close on New Year’s Day (Wake County). Triangle Town Center closes at 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve (mall hours).

What this means for you

  • Taking young children to First Night? The 7 p.m. acorn drop is the early option.
  • Downtown streets around Fayetteville Street fill up on New Year’s Eve; plan parking and rides home ahead of time.
  • If your trash day falls on Friday, Jan. 1, expect it to slide a day; check the app.

More: holiday lights and Christmas events and our trash and recycling guide.

Frequently asked questions

What time is the Acorn Drop in Raleigh?

At last year’s First Night Raleigh, there was an early Acorn Drop and fireworks at 7 p.m. and the main Acorn Drop and fireworks at midnight, seen from Fayetteville Street and City Plaza. Artsplosure had not posted 2026 times when we checked.

Do I need a ticket for First Night Raleigh?

A First Night ticket covers the amusement rides, silent disco, indoor shows and the Children’s Celebration. Artsplosure sells tickets online and has sold them at three Raleigh Harris Teeter stores.

Is there a New Year’s event for young kids in Raleigh?

Yes. Marbles Kids Museum holds Noon Year’s Eve on Thursday, Dec. 31, with a countdown as its ball drops at noon. It is included with museum admission.

Is trash picked up on New Year’s Day in Raleigh?

Last year the city pushed trash and recycling back one day starting on New Year’s Day. Check the Raleigh Reuse app for your address once the 2027 notice is out.

Does GoRaleigh run on New Year’s Day?

Yes, on its Sunday schedule. Routes that run only on weekdays do not operate.