Free New Year's Eve fireworks show over downtown Denver with two displays at 9 p.m. and midnight, launched from two rooftops.
New Year's Eve Fireworks return to the 16th Street Mall on Thursday, December 31, 2026, with two free shows over downtown Denver. It's a tradition that's been running for more than two decades, dating back to 2000 and co-sponsored by VISIT DENVER and the Downtown Denver Business Improvement District for twenty-plus years.
Both displays are put on by Zambelli Fireworks, the same team behind the Times Square show. Each one sends roughly 3,000 shots into the air from hotel and office rooftops 26 to 28 stories up, with more than 1,000 electrical connections wired across the two roofs. The shows go off at 9 PM and midnight, so you can catch one early and stay for the other, or just pick the time that works for you.
On the ground, the 16th Street Mall fully reopened in 2025 after a $175 million reconstruction, and the turnout jumped about 50 percent over 2024. The night is rounded out by a ball-drop-style countdown at the Mile High Tree on the Tivoli Quad, and the Mile High Drone Shows, where around 600 drones fly for 41 nights leading up to the new year.
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Getting there is easy: RTD runs free bus and rail from 7 PM through 7 AM on New Year's Day, so you don't have to worry about parking or paying for a ride home. Both fireworks shows are free.
