Berlin doesn’t just count down to the New Year — it performs it. As December draws to a close, the German capital gears up for a spectacular farewell to the year, with hotel bookings already surpassing last December’s levels and a city-wide programme of celebrations. From the high-energy “Yeah 2026” party at the Brandenburg Gate to cultural highlights, concerts and shows across the city, Berlin invites visitors to welcome the New Year in a way that is as diverse, bold and unforgettable as the city itself.
From large open-air events and legendary club nights to festive concerts and spectacular shows, Berlin once again offers a wide range of opportunities to welcome the new year. Interest in spending New Year’s Eve in the German capital is high: hotel bookings for the festive period are promising and already above last year’s level. Nevertheless, there are still plenty of rooms available in all categories.
Free New Year's Eve party at Brandenburg Gate: "Yeah 2026"
Under the title "Yeah 2026", Berlin invites all guests of the city as well as Berliners to a free New Year's Eve party at Brandenburg Gate. Berlin's top DJs will transform Straße des 17. Juni into a huge open-air dance floor on New Year's Eve. At midnight sharp, spectacular fireworks will light up Berlin's most famous landmark in a blaze of colour. Admission to the party is only possible with a free ticket. Tickets are available on the Kulturprojekte Berlin website.
Berlin’s countless clubs will keep the celebrations going into the early hours of the new year. The Kulturbrauerei will host the city’s largest indoor New Year’s Eve party, while Spindler & Klatt will thrill guests with two dance floors and direct views of the River Spree. The "New Year's Magic Citadel" invites visitors to one of the most extraordinary open-air parties of the year, set against a historic backdrop. At midnight, a dazzling laser and fireworks show will light up the old fortress in spectacular fashion.
Cultural highlights and special experiences on New Year's Eve
Those who want to celebrate the turn of the year can choose from a wide and varied programme in Berlin. At the "WeihnachtsZauber am Gendarmenmarkt" (Christmas Magic at Gendarmenmarkt), the new year is welcomed with fireworks above the roof of the concert hall and waltzing under the open sky. Music lovers can see out the year at the traditional New Year's Eve concert by the Berlin Philharmonic under Kirill Petrenko, which offers a musical transition into the new year with pieces by Tchaikovsky, Bizet and Gershwin.
The city's show and variety scene also delights with an impressive New Year's Eve programme: "Flying Lights" at the Wintergarten Varieté combines street style, breakdancing and variety artistry into an energetic acrobatic performance. The Roncalli Christmas Circus enchants on New Year's Eve with poetic artistry and nostalgic flair. At the Estrel Berlin, guests can look forward to both the grand New Year's Eve Gala Show with buffet, live music and fireworks, and the New Year's Eve Late Night Show with "Stars in Concert".
More tips for New Year's Eve in Berlin can be found here
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