What is confirmed for Thursday 31 December 2026 in New York (Elsewhere, Phish), what the 2025/26 Times Square and MTA plans looked like, and what has not been announced.
This post answers one question: what is actually known about New Year’s Eve 2026 in New York, from the Times Square ball drop to Brooklyn club nights and the subway home. Each fact is marked as confirmed for 2026/27, a pattern from 2025/26, or not announced.
Most of it is still unannounced: the Times Square programme, the MTA plan and most club line-ups. Two Elsewhere parties and the Phish run at Madison Square Garden are the firm 2026/27 items.
Facts checked on 25 October 2026. New Year's Eve line-ups, prices and sold-out status change often and many are announced in November and December, so confirm on the organiser page before you book.
Elsewhere lists two Thursday 31 December 2026 nights. “Elsewhere New Year’s Eve: San Pacho + more TBA” takes the full venue at 599 Johnson Avenue, Brooklyn 11237, with doors at 21:00. Only San Pacho is named. Tickets go through Eventbrite with no price shown, sales are final except for cancellation, and entry needs a US government-issued ID or a foreign passport (21+). The page puts it a short walk from the Jefferson St and Morgan Ave subway stations.
The second, “Elsewhere Presents New Years Eve at 99 Scott”, has Tinzo + Jojo and DJ Minx, doors at 22:00, also 21+ with Eventbrite tickets and no price. Source conflict: the page labels it “99 Scott” but gives Elsewhere’s own address, so check the venue on your ticket.
2025/26 pattern. Elsewhere’s NYE on Wednesday 31 December 2025 ran 21:00 to 04:00 across four rooms (Hall, Zone One, Loft, Chatroom), with Mall Grab, Effy and Baltra in the Hall, at $65 to $90. Resident Advisor’s metadata says 2026 but its body says 2025, which is right: 31 December 2026 is a Thursday. Treat the price as last year’s.
Phish’s site lists Madison Square Garden on 30 and 31 December 2026 and 1 and 2 January 2027, all marked sold out; 2 January is the band’s 100th show there. JamBase reported on 7 October 2026 that the ticket lottery closed on 12 October and general sale opened on Friday 16 October at 12:00 ET.
The Times Square Alliance’s FAQ still reads “New Year’s Eve 2025” in its introduction and “NYE 2026 celebration” for the webcast, so it describes the 2025/26 edition. Entry was free and first come first served, with no public viewing spaces sold. Viewing areas opened at 15:00 via 45th, 49th, 52nd and 56th Streets on 6th and 8th Avenues. All bags were searched; backpacks, large bags, umbrellas, folding chairs, large coolers and alcohol were banned. There were no portable toilets, and leaving a viewing area meant losing the spot.
In 2025/26, 7th Avenue closed from 42nd to 48th Streets at about 04:00, 7th Avenue and Broadway from 38th to 59th Streets at about 11:00, and 6th and 8th Avenues to everyone at about 16:00. The live schedule ran 18:00 to 00:15: ball raising at 18:00, a mayor-led 60-second countdown at 23:59, then the drop and confetti at midnight. Listed headliners included Ciara (19:40), Robyn (21:18) and Diana Ross (23:37). CBS New York expected about 1 million people.
For Wednesday 31 December 2025 the MTA ran a regular weekday subway schedule with increased service from the evening into the post-midnight hour, then a Sunday schedule on New Year’s Day. LIRR added 11 extra trains on New Year’s Eve and 12 in the early hours of 1 January, Metro-North added late-evening and post-midnight service, and Access-A-Ride ran 24 hours. The release says nothing about fares or Times Square station closures. Nothing is published yet for Thursday 31 December 2026.
Elsewhere NYE 2026, Elsewhere 99 Scott, Elsewhere December calendar, RA: Elsewhere NYE 2025, Phish tours, JamBase: Phish run, Times Square FAQ, Times Square schedule, CBS New York, MTA holiday service, Shotgun: House of Yes, House of Yes calendar, Nowadays events, Brownstoner: Pacha and Songkick: Pacha.
Not in 2025/26: the Alliance described the outdoor celebration as free and first come first served, with tickets needed only for private restaurant and hotel parties. No 2026/27 rules are published yet.
Both 2026 listings are 21+ and ask for a US government-issued ID or a foreign passport.
No listing was found. Its Songkick and Tixel pages end on 31 October 2026.
Elsewhere’s two pages show none and Phish is marked sold out. The only benchmark is last year’s $65 to $90 at Elsewhere.
