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New Year's Eve Weekend 2023 in Los Angeles: Fireworks, Balloon Drops, Noon Years Eve

3 - 2 - 1, Happy Noon Year! Photo courtesy of the Southern California Children's Museum
3 - 2 - 1, Happy Noon Year! Photo courtesy of the Southern California Children's Museum
12/27/23 - By Toby B

Looking for the best things to do in Los Angeles on New Year's Eve weekend to ring in 2024? Here are some events and activities to add to your list for this holiday weekend.

Get out your party hats, folks; it's time to celebrate making it through another year. New Year's Eve 2023 offers loads of events all day, from Noon Year's Eve daytime celebrations at Discovery Cube LA and the Southern California Children's Museum to nighttime New Year's Eve festivities at Gloria Molina Grand Park, the Long Beach Waterfront, and Marina del Rey. And then, 2024 gets started in the most Southern California way possible, with parading floral floats and the opportunity to view them up close later! 

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Spend New Year's Eve dancing in the Zoo Lights. Photo by Jamie Pham
Spend New Year's Eve dancing in the Zoo Lights. Photo by Jamie Pham

Best Things To Do New Year's Eve Weekend in Los Angeles

Disney on Ice: Frozen & Encanto (Long Beach)

Long Beach
Thursday - Monday, December 28, 2023 - January 1, 2024
Casa Madrigal and Arendelle come to life on the ice, thanks to a touch of Disney magic! Audiences can sing-along to their favorite songs while marveling at world-class ice skating, aerial acrobatics and more as Disney On Ice presents Frozen & Encanto makes its SoCal debut READ MORE

Jurassic Quest (Anaheim)

Anaheim
Thursday - Monday, December 28, 2023 - January 1, 2024
Jurassic Quest takes visitors on a walk through the Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic Periods, allowing them to experience what it was like to be among dinosaurs of all kinds. The experience has the nation’s biggest herd of photorealistic dinosaurs -over 100 true to life-size animatronic dinosaurs, ranging from the very small to the gigantic, each painstakingly replicated in every detail. READ MORE

EquestFest

Pasadena
Friday, December 29, 2023
Burbank's famous Equestrian Center hosts the many equestrians participating in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade, at an annual show highlighting the horses' parade performances. READ MORE

Lula Washington Dance Theatre 2023 Kwanzaa Festival

South LA
Friday & Saturday December 29 & 30, 2023
The Lula Washington Dance Theatre presents its annual exuberant celebration of Kwanzaa. The performance blends high velocity dancing and drumming, mixing African Dance, Modern dance, cultural dance forms, and ballet, and features both student and professional dancers. READ MORE

Bandfest

Pasadena
Friday & Saturday, December 29 & 30, 2023
Bandfest features the prizewinning bands of the 2024 Rose Parade performing the field shows that make them famous. Three shows over two days give everyone a chance to see these talented musicians, dancers, and auxiliary performers in action. READ MORE

CoComelon Party Time (LA)

Santa Monica
Ends Saturday, December 30, 2023
There's a party going on and everyone is invited!  CoComelon Party Time is a play-based experience that invites kids to step inside the world of CoComelon. Fan favorite CoComelon characters join the fun, including JJ, YoYo, TomTom, Nina and Cody.   READ MORE

Noon Year's Eve - Fairfax Library

Fairfax - FREE
Saturday, December 30, 2023
Sing, dance, and celebrate your way to the big countdown... at noon! Kids can enjoy crafts and music, then participate in an epic coundown party to ring in 2024.  READ MORE

Polar Bear Plunge

Thousand Oaks
Saturday, December 30, 2023
Nothing to make you want to say goodbye to 2023 like jumping into ridiculously cold water! Conejo RPD's Polar Bear Plunge starts with a 1.5 mile hike up Mountclef Ridge and end with a chilling plunge into the Community Pool at CLU. READ MORE

Noon Year's Celebration - Main Library Santa Monica

Santa Monica - FREE
Saturday, December 30, 2023
Practice your countdown skills at this early countdown on Saturday, December 30th at the Main Library in Santa Monica. Toddlers enjoy a lively storytime, followed by a countdown to noon.  READ MORE

Kwanzaa Celebration at Ovation Hollywood

Hollywood - FREE
Saturday, December 30, 2023
Ovation Hollywood hosts a free Kwanzaa celebration in its Center Courtyard, with entertainment, food, live performances and more. Guests can celebrate Nguzo Saba,  the seven principles of Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work), Ujamaa (Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith). READ MORE

New Year's Eve Fireworks on the Waterfront

Long Beach - FREE
Sunday, December 31, 2023
The skies over the Long Beach waterfront light up twice on New Year's Eve, first at the family-friendly hour of 9pm, then again at midnight. READ MORE

Noon Year’s Eve Party - Southern California Children's Museum

Pasadena
Sunday, December 31, 2023
Kids can ring in 2024 long before bedtime at Southern California Children's Museum. Kiddos can enjoy open play,  a dance party, and more fun surprises The confetti drops at noon. READ MORE

Annual NOON Year's Party

La Habra
Sunday, December 31, 2023
The Children's Museum at La Habra offers an option for kids to celebrate New Year's Eve during the day. Kids can ring in the New Year with music, dancing, crafts, and a countdown to the noon year balloon drop.  READ MORE

New Year's Eve Fireworks + Glow Party (MDR)

Marina del Rey - FREE
Sunday, December 31, 2023
Marina del Rey celebrates the new year with two fireworks displays,  the first on east coast time, the second at our own midnight. READ MORE

New Year's Eve Bash at the Cayton

Santa Monica
Sunday, December 31, 2023
Craft your noisemaker and party hat to participate in a lively parade throughout the museum, then enjoy confetti countdowns and bubbles all day during this exciting daytime New Year's Eve bash.  READ MORE

Noon Year's Eve (Monrovia)

Monrovia - FREE
Sunday, December 31, 2023
Monrovia gets the party started early on New Year's Eve day. All ages are welcome to the free celebration in Library Park, where guests can enjoy family fun activities. The special Noon Year's Eve ceremony is at 12 noon sharp! READ MORE

Gloria Molina Grand Park's New Year's Eve LA

DTLA - FREE
Sunday, December 31, 2023
Angelenos can welcome 2025 in the heart of DTLA at the West Coast’s largest free New Year’s Eve event. Gloria Molina Grand Park's NYELA Celebration rings in the new year with live entertainment on two stages, food trucks, a snack alley, and activities for the whole family.. The experience is capped off with the park’s signature countdown-to-midnight light show projected onto iconic City Hall, celebrating 2025, the city of Los Angeles, and our rich diversity.   READ MORE

Noon Year's Eve at the Discovery Cube LA

Sylmar
Sunday, December 31, 2023
The Discovery Cube Los Angeles celebrates midnight at noon and 3pm, with a Noon Year's Eve apple juice/ ginger ale toast and a mega balloon drop. Guests can also get funky on the dance floor with a live music DJ and explore Discovery Cube's exhibits. Kids can also make their very own sparkler to help ring in the New Year.  READ MORE

Noon Year's Eve at Stough Canyon Nature Center

Burbank
Sunday, December 31, 2023
Ring in the new year at this free event at the Stough Canyon Nature Center that includes arts and crafts, games, snacks, and an epic balloon drop as kids jump into 2024 without missing their bedtime. Register online to attend.  READ MORE

Annual Noon-Year’s Confetti Countdown

Irvine
Sunday, December 31, 2023
Pretend City celebrates the new year at different times throughout the day, with confetti countdowns to celebrate the new year around the world.     READ MORE

LA Zoo Lights: Family New Year's Eve

Griffith Park
Sunday, December 31, 2023
They don't call 'em party animals for nothing: LA Zoo Lights: Animals Aglow, the LA Zoo's holiday light spectacular, hosts an all-ages party to welcome the New Year.  READ MORE

A Christmas Story, The Musical (Ahmanson)

DTLA
Ends Sunday, December 31, 2023
There's Ralphie, the Red Ryder BB gun, the leg lamp, the bunny pajamas.... and now it's got songs! The cult classic A Christmas Story is now a musical, with songs written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the team behind Dear Evan Hansen, La La Land and The Greatest Showman. READ MORE

EVE at Universal Studios Hollywood

Universal City
Sunday, December 31, 2023
Universal Studios Hollywood celebrates New Year’s Eve with EVE. Guests can spend the day enjoying all the park has to offer (Super Nintendo World, anyone?) then continue into the night with music, dancing, photo ops, and a special countdown celebration at midnight as fireworks ring in 2024. READ MORE

2024 Rose Parade

Pasadena - FREE
Monday, January 1, 2024
The 135th Tournament of Roses Parade blooms again, marching down Colorado Boulevard. This year's theme is  “Celebrating a World of Music: The Universal Language.” The Grand Marshall is multi-award-winning performer Audra McDonald. READ MORE

Oshogatsu (New Year's) in Little Tokyo 2024

Little Tokyo - Free
Monday, January 1, 2024
The annual Oshogatsu in Little Tokyo celebrates the traditions of the New Year in Japan. Highlights include Japanese taiko drumming, Japanese traditional dance, Kompo, a kimono fashion show, food booths, mochi making, arts and crafts, and more. READ MORE

Floatfest: A Rose Parade Showcase of Floats

Pasadena
Monday & Tuesday, January 1 & 2, 2024
Floatfest offers a unique opportunity to get up close to the majestic beauty of the Rose Parade floats after they have made their appearances on Colorado Boulevard. New this year is Food Fare presented by Dine Out Lauderdale. Float viewers can indulge in a wide variety of food fare and cuisines from some of LA’s best food trucks and savor the flavors of South Florida with several of Visit Lauderdale’s favorite food items. Food Fare is located on Sierra Madre Blvd. near Gate A in the showcase lot. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Southern California Children's Museum
Two Locations, including Japanese Village Plaza