New Year’s Eve Fireworks at Navy Pier

Navy Pier’s New Year’s Eve fireworks go off at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, December 31, 2026, a 10-minute show synchronized to music over the lake at the end of the pier, according to Navy Pier. Viewing from the pier and the lakefront is free, and the pier recommends arriving early for a spot along the south dock or the east end.

The City of Chicago lists its own free New Year’s Eve celebration for the same night on the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events site; in recent years that has meant a Riverwalk countdown with music and midnight fireworks on the Chicago River at State Street in addition to the pier show. Details for 2026 had not been posted as of late September.

Restaurants and ticketed parties inside the pier fill up; the fireworks themselves cost nothing.

Plan your visit

The 29 State, 65 Grand, 66 Chicago and 124 Navy Pier buses run to the pier’s entrance, and Grand on the Red Line is a 15-minute walk east along Grand Avenue or Illinois Street; the CTA usually runs free or extended service on New Year’s Eve, so check its holiday notice. The pier’s garages charge event rates and the exits jam after midnight, so leave the car. The south dock fills after 11 p.m.; Olive Park and the lakefront path north of the pier have clear views with fewer people. Dress for lake wind and single-digit wind chills.