Stand on Wacker at Midnight and Watch the River Light Up
By 11:50 p.m. on December 31, the stretch of Upper Wacker Drive between Lake and Wells Streets is shoulder to shoulder, the big screens are glowing, and Chance the Rapper — a Chicago native — is on the main stage at West Wacker Drive and North Franklin Street. Ten minutes later the drone show lifts off the river and the countdown rolls toward midnight, when fireworks launch from the Chicago River bridges between Orleans and Columbus Streets. This is the Chicago NYE Countdown, a free public event on the Chicago Riverwalk at Wacker Drive running from Wells Street to Lake Street. No tickets, no advance registration — you simply walk in through the entrances at Wells Street or Lake Street.
- 5 p.m. — event entry opens to the public
- 7–9 p.m. — custom audio/visual projection from Art on the Mart
- 9 p.m. — live music from DJ Mike Dunn, DJ Mike P, J. Ivy and Shemekia Copeland
- 11:50 p.m. — Chance the Rapper performs; drone show begins
- Midnight — countdown and fireworks along the Riverwalk, with music by DJ Mike P
It is the first time in the 50-year history of ABC's Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve that a Central Time Zone countdown has been featured, and Chicago's midnight moment is broadcast live on ABC, with the network's coverage beginning at 7 p.m. CT. If you would rather watch from a distance, the whole event is livestreamed at chicago.gov, and big-screen displays run along Wacker between Lake and Wells Streets. For the fireworks themselves, the best viewing is along Upper Wacker Drive.
Know the Streets Before You Go
This is a night when the city closes roads around you, so plan your approach on foot or on transit. Wacker Drive (Lake to Wells) and the Orleans Street bridge close at 10 a.m. on December 31. Franklin Street, from Lake Street to Wacker Drive, closes two days earlier, at 10 a.m. on December 29. The Dearborn, Clark, LaSalle, Wabash and Columbus Drive bridges all close at 11:30 p.m. on December 31 — which is precisely why the fireworks are launched from those bridges at midnight.
- CTA trains and buses are free from 10 p.m. on December 31 until 4 a.m. on January 1.
- Nearest 'L' stations: Merchandise Mart (Brown, Purple); Clark/Lake (Purple, Blue, Pink, Green, Brown, Orange); Washington/Wells (Purple, Pink, Brown, Orange).
- Driving in: discounted pre-purchase parking at Millennium Garages, up to 20% off daily and extended rates.
- Security: bags must be 12"x6"x12" or smaller; everyone passes through checkpoints and bag checks.
Take the Celebration Onto the Water
The Riverwalk event is the centrepiece, but the river itself is a venue. New Year's Eve boat cruises run on the Chicago River, including a City Cruises dinner cruise that gives you a table, a meal and panoramic views of the fireworks rather than a spot in the crowd. Beyond the river, Choose Chicago lists restaurants, bars, parties, live shows and concerts across the city — and hotels within walking distance of the Riverwalk event if you would rather not travel home afterwards.
Build the Rest of the Night Around the City
Your evening does not have to begin at 5 p.m. on Wacker. The Art on the Mart projection between 7 and 9 p.m. is a reason in itself to be on the river early, and the live music from 9 p.m. carries you through to the countdown without a gap. Because CTA service is free from 10 p.m. and the downtown 'L' stations put you within a few blocks of the entrances, you can eat and drink in the surrounding neighbourhoods first and still arrive on the Riverwalk in time for the drone show. Book a hotel within walking distance and the road closures stop mattering entirely.
Start with the one decision that shapes everything else: whether you want to be inside the crowd on Wacker or watching from a dinner cruise on the water. From there, the night builds itself — an early dinner, the Art on the Mart projection, the 9 p.m. sets, and Chance the Rapper at 11:50 before the bridges light up at midnight. Check the chicago.gov livestream page and the CTA for the final details, pre-purchase your Millennium Garages spot if you are driving, and keep your bag within 12"x6"x12". Then all that is left is choosing where to stand when the countdown hits zero.