New Year's Eve Fireworks
The council's free New Year's Eve celebration at Earnslaw Park on the lakefront, with fireworks at midnight. In 2025 it ran family fun from 1pm to 5pm, bands from 7:30pm and CNE from 11pm to 1am; the 2026 programme is not out yet.
Published 24 August 2026 · Last checked 18 September 2026 · By Queenstown Pocket
| When | Thursday, 31 December 2026 |
| Where | Queenstown Bay |
| Type | Community |
| Organiser | Queenstown Lakes District Council |
Getting there
Walk if you are staying in town: Earnslaw Park is on the town centre lakefront. In 2025 the council closed a number of roads near the event and listed them on its scheduled event road closures page, and kept the whole town centre alcohol-free around the clock from 6am Christmas Day to 6am on 6 January.
Fares are $2.50 with a Bee Card on every Orbus route; the bus guide has the routes and last buses, and the events calendar the rest of the year. Dates are shown in New Zealand time; confirm with the organiser before travelling for an event.
Planning around it: Queenstown in December.
Get the Thursday email
One expensive Queenstown decision a week, settled with dated prices and the free alternative, plus three things the week favours. Free. It also carries the one launch email, so you are on the app waitlist too.
One email every Thursday at 6am: one Queenstown decision settled with numbers, and three things the week favours. Plus one email when the app launches. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Source: Queenstown Lakes District Council, lakefront New Year's Eve celebrations 2025, checked 18 September 2026. Dates change: confirm with the organiser before you travel for an event, and if you spot a change email hello@queenstownpocket.com.