🐝 WellyBuzz: New Year’s Eve in Wellington (Fireworks, Free Gigs & Big Parties)

👋 Kia ora Wellington!

Welcome to a special New Year’s Eve edition of WellyBuzz - your one-stop guide to the biggest night of the year.

Whether you’re chasing fireworks with the kids, a free street party, live bands, underground jazz, drag-fuelled chaos or an all-night dancefloor, New Year’s Eve 2025 is serving something for every mood, budget and bedtime.

From waterfront fireworks and family-friendly fun to late-night raves, singalong anthems and club classics, here’s your complete guide to ringing in 2026 across Wellington and the wider region.

Let’s count it down. 🐝🎆

🎉 Courtenay Carnival – Wellington’s Largest New Year’s Eve Party
Wellington’s most electric street party takes over Courtenay Place with live music, performers, parades, street food and all-ages celebration vibes from afternoon through to midnight.
📍 Courtenay Place, Wellington | 🕓 4:00pm–1:00am | 💰 Free Entry | 🎟 All Ages

🎆 New Year’s Eve at Whairepo Lagoon
Bring in 2026 waterfront-style with live music, food trucks, a kids’ countdown and fireworks, followed by Orchestra Wellington playing through to midnight.
📍 Whairepo Lagoon (by Frank Kitts Park) | 🕗 8:00pm–12:00am | 💰 Free Entry | 🎟 All Ages

🎷 New Years Jazz Jamboree
Swing in the new year with live jazz, festive vibes and top-tier musicians at one of Wellington’s favourite underground venues.
📍 The Undercurrent, 118 Tory Street | 🕣 8:30pm–12:00am (doors from 7pm) | 💰 $28.30

🎶 Nui Years Eve
Ring in 2026 with a stacked live lineup featuring Fur Patrol and The Phoenix Foundation, plus late-night disco grooves to keep the dance floor moving.
📍 Meow Nui, 92 Vivian Street | 🕢 7:30pm–1:00am | 💰 From $79.50 | 🎟 R18

💡🎶 NYE Big Neon Rave at Eva
Light up the dance floor and rave into 2026 with DJ DKAV spinning house, hip-hop, Top 40 and throwback bangers all night long.
📍 Eva Pub, 35 Dixon Street | 🕛 NYE night | 💰 $17-$50 | 🎟 R18

🏳️‍🌈 The Big Queer New Year
Slide into 2026 with drag royalty, high-energy DJs and unapologetic queer chaos at Ivy’s biggest New Year’s blowout.
📍 Ivy Bar & Cabaret, 63 Cuba Street | 🕘 9:00pm–4:00am | 💰 $16.58 | 🎟 R18

🕺 Hang the DJ! Atomic vs 24 Hour Party People!
Two of Wellington’s longest-running club nights collide for a massive New Year’s Eve of indie, synth, Britpop and dancefloor classics.
📍 San Fran, 171 Cuba Street | 🕗 8:00pm–4:00am | 💰 $25 (door sales)

🔊 Rewire NYE: Wellington
A two-venue New Year’s Eve takeover serving house, techno, trance and psytrance for a full-throttle dance into 2026.
📍 Valhalla, 154 Vivian Street | 🕗 From 8:00pm | 🎟 R18

🍺 Brew Year’s Eve
Wellington’s biggest New Year’s Eve party returns to Brewtown with legendary Kiwi anthems, wall-to-wall bangers and a massive live-band lineup counting down to midnight.
📍 Brewtown, Upper Hutt | 🕓 4:00pm–1:00am | 💰 $79 | 🎟 R18

😴🎉 Shady Lady NYE Pyjama Party
Slip into your PJs and dance into 2026 with DJs, prizes, drink deals and a high-energy countdown at Shady Lady.
📍 Shady Lady, 66 Courtenay Place | 🕛 NYE night | 💰 $17-$50 | 🎟 R18

🎸 New Year’s Eve at the Porirua Club
Ring in 2026 with live music from Stasch Band and free entry at the Porirua Club - a relaxed, high-energy way to welcome the New Year with friends.
📍 Porirua Club, 1 Lodge Place | 🕛 From 8pm | 💰 Free Entry for Members & Guests

🍻🎸 New Year’s Eve at Double Vision Brewing
See out 2025 with a laid-back, family-friendly afternoon that ramps up into a full party as Frenzy hits the stage live from 9pm, rocking through to 2026.
📍 Double Vision Brewing, Miramar | 🕛 From 12:00pm (live band from 9:00pm) | 💰 Free Entry | 🎟 All Ages (daytime)

✨🎶 New Year’s Eve at Petone Working Men’s Club
Dress to impress and dance into 2026 with live music from Trademark, best-dressed prizes, member draws and drinks specials all night long.
📍 Petone Working Men’s Club, 47 Udy Street | 🕗 From 8:00pm

Whether you’re welcoming 2026 with fireworks by the harbour, dancing until dawn, or keeping it local with friends and whānau, we hope you have a safe, joyful and memorable New Year’s Eve.

Thanks for being part of the WellyBuzz community this year, we’ll be back in 2026 with more of the very best Wellington has to offer.

Happy New Year, Pōneke. 🥂✨
Kirstie & Steve 🐝