Published Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 | 2 a.m.
Updated Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 | 12:22 a.m.
It’s a tradition that never gets old.
In the final seconds before a new year, hundreds of thousands of visitors on the Las Vegas Strip joined the countdown. They screamed in unison, “10, nine, eight …” until 2025 arrived.
Visitors exchanged hugs and kisses as the clock hit midnight, shouting “Happy New Year” and blowing on horns in celebration as the fireworks erupted into the Las Vegas Strip skyline in a dramatic show.
Partygoers flashed big smiles and snapped plenty of photos — all while staying warm as light winds made a brisk Las Vegas night seem slightly cooler.
“America’s Party” was televised nationally to show that nobody hosts a party like Las Vegas. The party will require some heavy cleaning.
Metro Police immediately started escorting pedestrians off the Strip once the fireworks ended. Officials project roads — including Interstate 15 exits at Tropicana Avenue, Flamingo and Spring Mountain roads — will be reopened by 6 a.m.
First, an estimated 20 street sweepers and 60 workers will collect 10 to 12 tons of trash.
Metro dispatched more than 1,000 officers to the Strip and downtown. They didn’t report any major incidents during the celebration. They expect to release incident and arrest tallies — including for offenses such as DUI — later today.
We had reporters stationed throughout the city. Here are some of their observations:
Family excited for first Las Vegas trip
Vlad carried his five year old daughter Xenia on his shoulders, smiling as the young girl happily swayed while watching the Bellagio fountain show.
The family, who came all the way from Winnipeg, Manitoba, were looking for the best place to watch fireworks ahead of the countdown. Vlad, who preferred not to use his last name because he was accompanied by minors, was joined by his wife Kristin; Claire and Katya, their two teenage daughters; and an unnamed 16-year-old son.
They’d been searching for the best place to watch all night and planted themselves in front of the Bellagio in the middle of Las Vegas Boulevard about 30 minutes before midnight.
“We wanted to get out of the hotel, have a good time; see the lights and see people,” said Kristin of their trip to the Strip.
Vlad was in town for a conference starting on Jan. 2, so his family decided to arrive a few days early to ring in 2025 with the thousands of other tourists that visit annually for the New Year’s Eve festivities.
Claire, 17, lit up with excitement thinking about the eight-minute fireworks show set to pop off at midnight. It was her and 15-year-old Katya’s first time on the Strip ever and second time in Las Vegas.
Minutes later, the girls danced to Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” with their phones out, filming the next fountain show and already planning the photos they’d be posting on social media.
Claire will be graduating high school in 2025, so there was lots for them to look forward to.
“It’s kind of scary, but yeah, I’m excited,” said Claire of the new year.
3OH!3 gets the crowd dancing
Singing to a crowd of party goers dancing and waving their hands, a member of the musical duo 3OH!3 joked, “let’s ring in 2010.”
As the Colorado-based duo performed their nostalgic hits from the previous decade, it was another quintessential moment where music defined the night for many attendees.
A few steps away, best friends Bianca Araiza and Jocelyn Zotto were locked into a private performance, listening to music through headphones at the silent disco section. The two were in matching pink dresses and fuzzy headbands because they said they “love being the main character.”
Zotto and Araiza said they don’t care what people think, but that it’s important to dress well and express themselves.
Zotto has lived in Vegas for about three years, but Araiza came to celebrate from Denver — making the trip to the city to celebrate with her friend.
The two said they were looking forward to Flo Rida’s performance, and added that a Vegas New Year’s Eve celebration is particularly special because of all it offers, like their first time experiencing a silent disco.
“It’s like a party everywhere,” Zotto said. “There’s multiple things to do.”
The celebration was a new experience for Brittany Joness as well, a Las Vegas resident who had never been to Fremont before.
“I don’t get out much,” Joness said. “I have two daughters, they are 11 and 14. So, every year, I always ring it in with them, and I never rung it in doing something like this.”
Party has begun
New Year’s Eve celebrations have officially begun on the Las Vegas Strip.
Las Vegas Boulevard opened to the public for the annual tradition about 7:30 p.m., and groups of pedestrians made their way into the street even despite the cold weather.
Officials closed roads to vehicular traffic around 7 p.m.
It’s a spectacle on the Strip hours ahead of the highly anticipated fireworks show at midnight. Artists like Bruno Mars and Imagine Dragons are performing at hotels along the boulevard, and street performers have set themselves up in prime positions to sing the night away or play a tune on their instruments.
A new feature this year is the Sphere, which has been displaying a countdown to midnight since early Dec. 31 in conjunction with other major cities around the world.
The Sphere has become a countdown partner for “America’s Party 2025,” where an eight-minute fireworks show will fill the air on the Strip starting at midnight to ring in a new year in one of the notable celebrations across the globe.
“It is a height. It is a spotlight on Las Vegas as a global city, a spotlight on our fans across the globe,” Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said on Dec. 18 at a press event. “We’re really excited that the Sphere is going to be a part of this and allow us to celebrate New Year’s Eve everywhere this year.”
Metro Police report that the Spring Mountain Road and I-15 area is sluggish with the closure of Las Vegas Boulevard in place. Frank Sinatra Drive is also experiencing heavy traffic from Harmon to Sammy Davis Jr. Drive.
Fremont Street CEO remarks on comeback from pandemic
Fremont Street has come a long way since Andrew Simon became CEO in 2020. It was right in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, and he said the new year’s celebration shows how far the country has come since then.
“Everybody was scared to be around each other,” Simon recalled. “And tonight, I think you’ll see everybody having a great time dancing.”
While he has been in his role for a little over four years, he’s lived in Las Vegas since 1992 and seen Freemont change rapidly since then. And some of that change comes with who will participate in the countdown this year.
“What’s really special, this is the first time in 25 years we don’t have Mayor Goodman — whether it’s Mayor Oscar or Mayor Carolyn,” Simon said. “We have a brand new mayor counting down the new year’s eve with me and Flo Rida at midnight, Mayor Shelly Berkley.”
Simon said the musical performers, including Flo Rida, Bow Wow and 3OH!3 were part of what made the celebration special, he said.
“We take a look at all the different artists and the genres out there, because we want everybody to be able to come down to Fremont,” Simon added.
After executing the three-day Neon Festival in November, Simon said he and his team felt relaxed about tonight.
“We’re not really all that stressed,” Simon said. “My big thing is wanting people to have a good time and making sure it’s safe and that everybody gets home safe.”
Regulars return for New Year’s Eve
Decked in red and white striped hats and scarves, locals Trip and Jess Barrios walked past Caesars Palace on their way to their annual spot at Flamingo Road and Las Vegas Boulevard. Fireworks don’t start for another two hours, but they want to secure the lucrative viewing position as more people pour out onto the boulevard from the hotels.
The couple have been attending the New Year’s Eve celebration on the Strip for 18 years, always covered in bright string lights and themed costumes to ensure they can find each other.
Nobody throws a party like Las Vegas, said Jess Barrios, who also participates in other local holiday events like St. Patrick’s Day.
This year’s theme was Cat in the Hat, the titular character of the popular children’s book by Dr. Seuss.
In a sea of sparkling dresses and gold “Happy New Year” sunglasses, the couple say they like the Strip on New Year’s Eve because there’s more room to walk around and view fireworks.
Trip and Jess Barrios have lots to celebrate this year — yesterday, Trip turned 65 years old, and Jess recently retired. But the couple agreed that tonight, they’re simply appreciating another year of staying alive and being married.
Next year, they’re hoping to travel lots, they said.
“We’re just out having fun,” Trip Barrios said. “And I just hope we get to do a lot of stuff we wanna do next year.”
“Time of Your Life”
With around 30,000 people slated to attend the “Time of Your Life” celebration at the Fremont Street Experience, attendees saw a silent disco, three stages with musical performances and fellow partygoers decked in their celebratory attire — gold sashes, sparkly dresses and holiday hats.
And as they ushered in the new year, many were ringing wedding bells as well.
Aubrey Roseberry — who came to Vegas for the first time from Indiana — wore a “bride” sash and was accompanied by her future sister-in-law, Abby Smith. By this time Wednesday, Roseberry will be married.
“It’s a family tradition to be married on Jan. 1,” Smith said. “My great grandparents were married on Jan. 1, my parents, and I was also married on Jan. 1.”
Roseberry and her fiancé will celebrate the new year and their new life at the Little White Wedding Chapel. The idea came when Roseberry realized her fiancé’s family was already planning on a vacation in Vegas.
Smith, who will be celebrating her anniversary the day of Roseberry’s wedding, added: “If you’re going to do it, do it hard, you know?”
Roseberry wasn’t the only bride-to-be that night.
Brittany Hurey came to Vegas for the first time with her sisters, Courtney and Ashley, who was showing her younger sisters around the city. Brittany and Ashley came from Dallas and Courtney made the trip from Delaware.
“I’m having my bachelorette here in March, so I’m super excited.” Brittany said. “I didn’t plan to do Old Vegas, so I’m excited to see it.”
But tonight, the sisters said they were looking forward to spending time together and, of course, to “bring back the 2000s” with the performance from Flo Rida.
Roads around Strip closed
The New Year’s Eve party in Las Vegas is about to spill onto the streets of the Resort Corridor.
Law enforcement is closing the roads leading to the Las Vegas Strip, paving the way for hundreds of thousands of revelers to make their way onto Las Vegas Boulevard for a celebration to usher in a new year.
Millions of others will be watching from home — Las Vegas, after all, throws one of he world’s most notable bashes.
It’s a tradition that is expected to bring 400,000 people to the Strip and downtown in the next few hours. It will be a celebration capped by a nine-minute fireworks display filling the sky.
Here’s all you’ll need to know to enjoy your time in Las Vegas on New Year’s Eve:
Getting around
The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada is offering free bus rides on all routes from 6 p.m. today through 9 a.m. Wednesday, New Year’s Day. Several routes will run on a 24-hour schedule or have extended hours.
Riders can board any bus — regardless of route — without purchasing a pass or presenting fare.
Near the Strip, you can also travel using the Las Vegas Monorail. It will operate from 7 a.m. today to 2 a.m.Wednesday. A ticket for a single ride is $5.50 when purchased online; fare for locals is $1.
Rideshare companies Lyft and Uber will also be available but expect higher-than-normal ride rates later into the night.
Street closures
Road closures to cut access to the Strip will start at 5:30 p.m. today when the Interstate 15 off-ramps at Tropicana Avenue and Flamingo Road will be shut down in both directions, Metro Police said.
The Strip will begin shuttering to vehicle traffic at 6:30 p.m., with closures from Spring Mountain Road to Reno Avenue. By 8 p.m., the Strip will be completely closed to vehicular traffic.
Metro will post real-time information about road closures on its social media accounts. Follow the agency on X @lvmpd.
The Strip will reopen about 6 a.m. Thursday, Metro officials said. Closed streets won’t reopen until they are properly cleaned and pedestrians have left, they said.
Keeping safe
Law enforcement will check visitors on the Strip and downtown for prohibited items. Those include: metal and glass containers, packed beverages, coolers, strollers and bags — backpacks, purses, diaper bags or luggage — no larger than 6 inches by 12 inches.
Also, costumes and firearms — real or fake — aren’t allowed.
“Our focus is to educate before we enforce,” said Yasenia Yatomi, an assistant sheriff with Metro, during a news briefing on New Year’s Eve security. “Anyone seen with these items will be stopped and warned. If the person refuses to remove the prohibited item, the item may be confiscated.”
Minors under the age of 18 won’t be permitted on the Strip or on Fremont Street without a parent.
Additionally, most resorts only allow visitors with a room key to enter the property during street closures.
Personal fireworks are a no-no
In Clark County, personal fireworks can only legally be set off during the week leading up to July 4. That means shooting fireworks to celebrate the new year is illegal.
“Our focus isn’t just on the Strip itself. It’s still the rest of the community that we must focus on, and we will continue that with fire and medical services,” Clark County Deputy Fire Chief Billy Samuels said.
Robert Nolan, senior deputy fire chief at Las Vegas Fire & Rescue, said people who see illegal fireworks being used should call 311 — not 911 — to avoid clogging up emergency services.
Smoke advisory
Clark County has issued an air smoke advisory for tonight and Thursday because of smoke and particulate pollution created by the lighting of fireworks — both in the Resort Corridor and local neighborhoods, officials said.
Smoke is made of small dust particles and other pollutants that can aggravate respiratory diseases and contribute to ground-level ozone formation, officials with the Clark County Department of Environment and Sustainability said in a news release.
Residents with preexisting respiratory conditions are advised to stay indoors and keep their windows closed.
Safe driving
Metro made 33 DUI arrests last year on New Year’s Eve and issued an additional 181 citations for driving infractions. They’ll again have officers stationed throughout the valley patrolling for impaired drivers.
The Nevada State Police also will be out in force tonight and Wednesday morning.
State police recommend these courses of action for those driving to a New Year’s Eve festivity:
- Use a rideshare or taxi: Don’t risk lives — never drive impaired. Services like Uber, Lyft, and local taxis are the smart choice — and more affordable than a DUI.
- Designate a sober driver: Before the party starts, make a plan with someone who commits to staying sober.
- Stay the night: If you’ve been drinking, don’t drive. Stay put and celebrate safely where you are.
- Be the hero: If you see someone attempting to drive impaired, step in. You might save a life.
“I want to just take a moment to ask everyone in the community: If you’re going to drink, please don’t drive,” Yatomi said. “We can do this. We can have a great, safe New Year’s Eve without one more death from senseless driving.”
[email protected] / 702-990-8923 / @Kyle_Chouinard