Champagne toasts! Fireworks! Parties! The Sunshine State rings in the New Year in a big way, from the white sands of Perdido Key to the bright lights of Miami Beach. Here's where and how to discover some of the events in your neck of the sandbar.
South Florida | Central Florida | North Florida
North Florida
Flora-Bama's Annual New Year's Eve Bash – This establishment, located smack-dab on the beach of Perdido Key, is legendary for its exuberant parties, so you’ll want to hang on to your hat for its New Year’s celebration, complete with live music on three stages, food, party favors, and a midnight champagne toast. This event always sells out, so make sure to buy your tickets early.
Where: Perdido Key
Web: florabama.com/new-years-eve
Panama City Beach 2022 New Year's Eve Beach Ball Drop- Panama City Beach may be best known for fun in the sun, but one of Northwest Florida’s most exciting annual events happens after dark: The New Year’s Eve Beach Ball Drop. Enjoy not one but two ways to welcome in the New Year. The streets of Pier Park are closed off to traffic as thousands of revelers enjoy free live music, entertainment, fireworks, and good cheer.
For those too excited to wait until midnight, or for those fans of New Year’s Eve who want to conduct the countdown twice, there are separate Beach Ball Drops at both 8 p.m. and midnight. On the way to midnight, bands perform for the gathering crowd, anticipating the countdown to 2022 when a huge, glowing beach ball is lowered to signal the start of the New Year, and another great fireworks display.
Where: Pier Park, Panama City Beach
Web: Visit Panama City Beach New Year’s Eve Fireworks
Light up the Night! Beach Fireworks- There’s nothing like fireworks on the water and this St. Augustine tradition is a perennial blast. Bring a blanket and gather with thousands of your best friends and neighbors to enjoy Light up the Night! one of the most magical fireworks displays of all time at the St. Johns County Ocean Pier. Limited shuttle service will be provided from Anastasia Baptist Church to the three viewing locations on the beach. Public Parking will be available at City Hall, Ron Parker Park, Anastasia Square parking lot on the side close to Pope Road, and at the YMCA after 1 p.m. Best of all, it’s free! 8:30–10 p.m.Where:
St. Augustine Beach Pier Park
Web: www.floridashistoriccoast.com/events/holidays/nye/
New Year’s Eve Shrimp Drop-- A ball-drop is so yesterday. Amelia Island ups the ante by dropping a giant, illuminated shrimp. This free, family-friendly event boasts vendors, food, kids’ games, live music, dancing, fireworks and much more.
Where: Centre Street, Fernandina Beach
Web: www.ameliaisland.com/Calendar/New-Year-s-Eve-Shrimp-Drop
Countdown Seaside: A New Year's Eve Celebration –Seaside invites you to usher in 2023 under the stars in their annual New Year’s celebration. Bring a blanket or chairs and get prepared to ooh and aw at the fireworks over the Gulf of Mexico. The lineup includes Arts & Crafts/Face Painting - 4 - 9 P.M. in Central Square, Monsters of Yacht (band) 5 - 9 P.M. on the Seaside Amphitheater Stage, and fireworks 9 P.M. Seaside will have shuttles running the County Lot on 283 from 6 A.M. - 12 noon to assist with parking.
Where: Seaside Amphitheater
Web: https://homeownerscollection.com/events/holidays/new-years-eve-celebration
Noon Year's Eve at LuLu's Destin –Ring in the New Year at high noon with a Beach Ball Drop at LuLu’s, when hundreds of colorful beach balls descend on the soft sands of LuLu’s Beach. This fun-filled day, starting at 10 a.m., is perfect your little ones, with crafts, kid safe fireworks (bubble wrap) and a kids’ magic show. Face Painting, balloon animals, Captain Davy & His Pirate Crew, and an inflatable slide round out the pint-sized excitement.
Where: LuLu’s, Destin
Web: allevents.in/destin/noon-year
Ring in The New Year in Jacksonville – Downtown Jacksonville goes all out for the New Year with a bash offering fireworks, live music, food trucks, craft vendors, and family fun, all next to the beautiful St. Johns River.
Where: Downtown Jacksonville
Web: visitjacksonville.com/new-years
Central Florida
New Year's Eve at SeaWorld Orlando – Ring in 2023 SeaWorld style with festive entertainment and a bold fireworks display that celebrates our connection to the ocean, sea life and the world we share. You can enjoy the fireworks from a variety of physically distanced viewing areas around the park.
Where: SeaWorld Orlando
Web: New Year's Eve at SeaWorld Orlando
Legoland Florida Kid's New Year's Party – Legoland offers a brick-tacular way for your little ones to welcome 2023, including a spectacular Nightly New Year's Eve Fireworks show that will be filling up the skies Nov. 25-27 & Dec 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 22-31.
Where: Legoland Florida Resort, Winter Haven
Web: www.legoland.com/florida/things-to-do/seasonal-events/holidays-at-legoland/
New Year’s Eve in Daytona Beach – Ring in the New Year on Main Street in Daytona Beach, the street known as the “World’s Most Famous Party Street.” There is no admission charge and the celebration will feature 6 stages of entertainment, street performers, drink specials and lots of tasty food choices.
Where: Various locations, Daytona Beach
Web: daytonabeachmainstreet.com/tc-events/new-years-eve-main-street/
Light It Up Clearwater!– This annual, toes-in-the-sand event features midnight fireworks. Kick back on the beach, nosh at a local restaurant, and enjoy a spectacular sunset over the Gulf while you countdown to 2023.
Where: Clearwater Beach
Web: lightitupclearwater.com
New Year’s Eve in Tampa – A fireworks cruise and a NOON year's gala are just two of the ways you can greet the arrival of 2022 in the Big Guava. Check out these options:
· Smoke on the water – Snag a front row seat for Downtown Tampa’s fireworks on this New Year’s Eve Fireworks Cruise. The one-hour cruise includes champagne and party favors. All ages are welcome, but you must be 21+ with valid ID to drink. piratewatertaxi.com/new-years-eve-fireworks
· Everyone loves a parade –Outback Bowl Parade celebrates Tampa Bay's oldest bowl game in the heart of its historic Latin Quarter, Ybor City, showcasing floats, over a dozen marching bands, and the teams from Outback Bowl contenders University of Iowa and Mississippi State University. Afterward, it’s all-aboard the TECO Historic Streetcar to head downtown and keep the celebration going with fireworks along the Tampa Riverwalk. outbackbowl.com
· And there’s more – Check out more Tampa area New Year’s fun here: www.visittampabay.com/tampa-events/holidays/
South Florida
New Year’s Eve at Fishermen’s Village – Your whole gang’s invited to this free New Year’s Eve Celebration and Fireworks Display which runs from 6 p.m. through midnight.
Where: Fishermen’s Village, Marion Avenue, Punta Gorda
Web: www.fishermensvillage.com/events
Fort Lauderdale Orange Bowl Downtown Countdown – This free street festival is touted as the premiere New Year’s celebration in South Florida. This year's event will be virtual and aired across the country.
Where: Downtown Fort Lauderdale
Web: orangebowl.org/downtowncountdown
Clevelander South Beach NYE 2023: Party of the Future – The iconic Clevelander with its rooftop bar boasts the best party in South Beach, and you’re invited to the bash. This New Year's Eve, pop your collar and roll up your sleeves, because the Clevelander is hyper-jumping into the future and they don't want to leave you behind. This event is billed as having the potential to rip a hole through time and space, transforming the bar into a floating spaceship specifically designed to do one thing... party to the future. Inventive cocktails, mind-blowing entertainment, and top service from space babes highlight the fun.
Where: 1020 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
Web: www.clevelander.com/entertainment
