New Year's Eve 2026 in Cary: the Chinese Lantern Festival keeps normal hours, Raleigh's Acorn Drop and fireworks, and what is closed on Jan. 1.

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Facts come from each organizer, GoCary, Wake County and the Town of Cary, linked below. We list restaurant and bar parties only when the venue announces them on its own site.

New Year’s Eve is Thursday, Dec. 31, 2026, and New Year’s Day is Friday, Jan. 1, 2027. No Cary venue had posted a 2026 New Year’s Eve event on its own site as of Oct. 11. Here is what is confirmed so far; we will add parties and countdowns as venues announce them.

Who to call

  • Koka Booth Amphitheatre: 919-462-2025
  • Town of Cary, including trash: Cary 311, or 919-469-4000 from outside town limits
  • GoCary: 919-485-RIDE (7433)
  • Cary police, non-emergency: 919-469-4012
  • Emergency: 911

In Cary

North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, 8003 Regency Parkway. The festival keeps its normal hours, 6 to 10 p.m., on both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, and runs through Jan. 10, 2027. Arrive by 9 p.m. Tickets are mobile only and the venue is cashless, according to the festival page. More on the festival: our holiday lights guide.

Skate the Square at Fenton, 21 Fenton Main St., is open through Feb. 7, 2027. Hours vary by day; check the rink’s ticket page for New Year’s Eve times.

Fireworks: First Night Raleigh

The nearest big countdown is WRAL First Night Raleigh in downtown Raleigh, about 11 miles away, at City Plaza, 400 Fayetteville St. Its site lists:

  • Children’s Celebration and outdoor music from 2 p.m.
  • Early Acorn Drop and fireworks at 7 p.m., for families who will not make it to midnight
  • Midnight Acorn Drop and fireworks

Watching the Acorn Drop and fireworks from Fayetteville Street and City Plaza is free. A ticket covers the rides, indoor shows, the Children’s Celebration and the People’s Procession.

What is open and closed on New Year’s Day

Town of Cary. New Year’s Day is a town holiday and most offices are closed (town holidays).

GoCary. Buses run a Sunday schedule on New Year’s Day; Door to Door runs Tier 1 trips only (GoCary holiday hours).

Wake County, from its holiday schedule:

Thu., Dec. 31 Fri., Jan. 1
County offices Open Closed
Libraries Close at 6 p.m. Closed
County parks Open Closed
County convenience centers Open Closed

Trash and recycling

The town’s 2027 New Year’s collection changes were not out when we checked. Last year, according to the town’s December 2025 newsletter, collections on Dec. 29-31 ran as usual and New Year’s Day pickups moved one day later. Check Cary Collects the week of the holiday.

One change is certain: the town’s Citizen’s Convenience Center at 313 N. Dixon Ave. closes to the public for good at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2026. From Jan. 1, the town points residents to Wake County’s convenience centers, which are closed on New Year’s Day. Details are on our trash and recycling guide.

Christmas trees go out at the curb, undecorated and unbagged, by 7 a.m. on your regular yard waste day, the town says.

Getting home safely

GoCary’s regular service ends by 10 p.m. on weeknights (service hours), so plan a ride home from a late party before you go out. Call 911 to report an impaired driver.

What this means for you

  • Young children: the 7 p.m. Acorn Drop in Raleigh or an evening at the lantern festival.
  • Need to drop off trash or yard waste over the holiday? Do it by Dec. 30, when the town center closes.
  • Libraries close early on Dec. 31 and all day Jan. 1.

Frequently asked questions

Are there New Year’s Eve fireworks near Cary?

WRAL First Night Raleigh, about 11 miles away, holds an early Acorn Drop and fireworks at 7 p.m. and the midnight Acorn Drop and fireworks on Fayetteville Street. You do not need a ticket to watch them.

Is the Chinese Lantern Festival open on New Year’s Eve?

Yes. The festival at Koka Booth Amphitheatre keeps its normal 6 to 10 p.m. hours on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Is trash picked up on New Year’s Day in Cary?

The town had not posted its 2027 schedule when we checked. Last year, New Year’s Day pickups moved one day later. Check the Cary Collects app or call 311.

Does GoCary run on New Year’s Day?

Yes, on a Sunday schedule. Door to Door runs Tier 1 trips only.