This New Year’s Eve, bundle up the family and head to Sir Winston Churchill Square to usher in 2026 at the City of Edmonton’s New Year’s Eve Downtown Festival and Fireworks.
Date: Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Programming: 6pm-midnight
Fireworks: 8pm and midnight
Location: Sir Winston Churchill Square and City Hall Plaza
Cost: Free!
This year’s New Year’s Eve celebration will include an early fireworks show at 8pm for families, as well as a traditional midnight fireworks display. The fireworks shows, which will be approximately 10 minutes in length, will be launched into the skies over the pyramids of City Hall.
Enjoy an evening of free activities and entertainment, including live music, cultural performances, roving entertainment, skating, food trucks, and more. Explore the beautiful art installation, created by iHuman.
Bring your skates and get your groove on as you take a spin around on the City Hall Plaza ice rink*. Free skate rentals and skate aids will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, and the skate change room will be open from 6pm to midnight. (*Weather and ice conditions permitting.) Warm up by a fire pit, or in a warming dome.
Purchase a warm meal or snacks from a variety of on-site food trucks.
Join Mayor Andrew Knack in the countdown to the fireworks at midnight.
Please note: High winds or severe weather may result in the cancellation of some outdoor activities. Check this page for the most up-to-date event information.
Celebrate Downtown
Downtown is the heart of Edmonton. It's where diversity and creativity flourish, and arts and culture thrive.
There are a number of great downtown venues to explore this New Year’s Eve. Check out the Edmonton Downtown Business Association to see what else is happening in the downtown core.
Fireworks Permits and Safety
Be safe, and remember: you must have a permit issued by the City of Edmonton to use fireworks within city limits. Under the City of Edmonton's Public Places Bylaw 20700 and Community Standards Bylaw 14600, any use of fireworks without proper permitting is illegal and subject to enforcement, which can include fines of up to $10,000. Criminal charges can also be laid depending on the circumstances which can result in a criminal record, fines, and the possibility of jail time.
For more information, please visit Fireworks Permits and Safety or contact the Fire Prevention Office at efrsspecialevents@edmonton.ca.
Frequently Asked Questions
The New Year’s Eve fireworks shows are each approximately 10 minutes in length.
Snow or Rain
Snow or rain will not cause the fireworks to be cancelled.
Wind
40km/h is the legal limit that we are allowed to shoot fireworks in. Anything over that will result in the cancellation of the fireworks. The direction of the wind is also a major factor. Some parts of the show may have to be cut if the winds become too high, but we would try to get as much of the show launched as possible.
Extreme Cold
Extreme cold does not affect the fireworks. However, extremely cold weather can affect the outdoor programming.
If someone or something were to infringe on the fireworks safety zone, the fireworks could be delayed or cancelled. Safety is the number 1 priority.
The conditions will be under constant evaluation. The public will be told about any changes or cancellations on edmonton.ca, and through the City of Edmonton’s X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts. 311 will close at 7pm on New Year's Eve.
