LAS VEGAS RINGS IN 2026 WITH EXOSPHERE COUNTDOWN, FIREWORKS, AND FIRST-EVER DRONE SHOW IN A PATRIOTIC KICK OFF TO AMERICA'S 250TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

NYE FIREWORKS DOWNLOADABLE ASSETS: here

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Las Vegas welcomed 2026 in spectacular fashion with the 25th edition of "America's Party," lighting up the Strip with a synchronized Drone Light Spectacular and an eight-minute rooftop fireworks display by Fireworks by Grucci. Pyrotechnics launched simultaneously from the rooftops of 10 resorts:

• ARIA Resort & Casino
• Caesars Palace
• Fontainebleau Las Vegas 
• MGM Grand Hotel & Casino 
• Palms Casino Resort
• Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
• Resorts World Las Vegas
• The STRAT Hotel, Casino & Tower
• TI – Treasure Island Hotel & Casino 
• The Venetian Resort Las Vegas 

For the first time ever on New Year's Eve, 600 LED drones lit up the Las Vegas sky in perfect harmony with the city's world-famous fireworks, delivering an electrifying aerial spectacle themed "Rockin' into 2026 – Vegas Style." The drone display painted the night sky with iconic imagery including the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign, the city skyline illuminated with "2026" rotating above, a spinning roulette wheel, a slot machine, and a "Happy New Year" greeting.

The drone show culminated in a stirring red, white and blue finale honoring the kickoff of America's 250th birthday celebration. To round out the New Year's celebration and mark the beginning of a yearlong America 250 tribute, resorts throughout Las Vegas displayed coordinated messages across marquees and digital screens.

Sphere once again served as Las Vegas' official countdown to the new year, debuting a custom content show on the Exosphere, the world's largest LED screen, that counted down to midnight and featured Orbi™ in 2026 glasses, and a debut piece from Sphere's latest XO/Art contributor Hugo Johnson.

Downtown, Fremont Street Experience hosted its annual Countdown Under The Canopy™, featuring live performances by Robin Thicke, CeeLo Green, Common Kings, Chingy, Pertinence, and Sammy Johnson across multiple stages, followed by a midnight fireworks display from Plaza Hotel & Casino.

New Year's Eve visitation to Las Vegas was projected at 345,000 visitors, reinforcing the destination's status as a favorite place to ring in the new year.

Facts about "America's Party 2026":

• This is Las Vegas' 25th presentation of "America's Party," continuing a tradition that started in 2000.
  
  
  
  
• The show takes Fireworks by Grucci the entire year to plan and choreograph.
  
  
  
  
• For the first time, "America's Party" included a synchronized Drone Light Spectacular, featuring a fleet of UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) performing a choreographed multimedia display in perfect harmony with the fireworks.
  
  
  
  
• The drone show added thousands of dynamic lights, patterns, and animations, extending the visual experience across the Las Vegas skyline.
  
  
  
  
• This year's theme, "Rockin' into 2026 – Vegas Style," dazzled with bold red, blue, yellow, and silver hues that captured the city's electric energy and dynamic spirit, building to a patriotic finale honoring the nation's milestone 250th anniversary.
  
  
  
  
• It takes five (5) days to install the pyrotechnics on the ten (10) rooftops.
  
  
  
  
• More than 3,360 manhours were spent on the installation process.
  
  
  
  
• The crew consisted of 74 pyrotechnicians and staff and over 100 additional security personnel on the rooftops.
  
  
  
  
• Fireworks by Grucci has produced 21 of the 25 shows, including the last 19 in a row.

*Sphere images and b-roll courtesy of Sphere Entertainment

*Fireworks, Drone Show and America250 Marquee Takeover b-roll courtesy of Ultra Vegas Drone Services

*Palms drone b-roll courtesy Palms Casino Resort

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SOURCE Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA)