LL Cool J headlining Philadelphia's New Year's Eve party on the Parkway before midnight fireworks
Philadelphia is ringing in the new year with a party on the Parkway.
Mayor Cherelle Parker announced that for the first time, the city is holding a free concert and fireworks on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in addition to New Year's Eve celebrations on the Delaware Rive waterfront.
LL Cool J and Trenton native Adam Blackstone, Philly's own DJ Jazzy Jeff and Dorothy are slated to perform at Eakins Oval starting at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 31.
Fireworks will begin at midnight.
Philadelphia's waterfront celebration is shaping up to be bigger than ever as well.
Instead of just one barge setting off fireworks, three barges worth of sparklers will light up the sky as the City of Brotherly Love rings in 2026 – and the nation's 250th anniversary.
How to get to the New Year's Eve concert and fireworks
Gates for the show open at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 31. Attendees will be directed to enter the venue along the Parkway at Binswanger Triangle (2300 Benjamin Franklin Parkway) or Pennsylvania Avenue and Spring Garden Street.
All guests will need to go through security and bag checks.
Road closures and parking restrictions for New Year's Eve on the Parkway
The city has already announced a list of road closures and parking restrictions that will go into effect for the New Year's Eve concert and fireworks.
The following streets will close to vehicular traffic on Dec. 31.
Starting at 8 a.m. Dec. 31 until approximately 6 a.m. on Jan 1:
Benjamin Franklin Parkway inner lanes from 20th Street to Eakins Oval
Benjamin Franklin Parkway outbound outer lanes from 22nd Street to Eakins Oval
Eakins Oval (all lanes)
Spring Garden Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and 31st Street
23rd Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Eakins Oval
MLK Drive from Sweet Briar Drive to Eakins Oval
Kelly Drive between Eakins Oval and Fairmount Avenue (Kelly Drive inbound closed at Fountain Green Drive beginning at approximately 5:00 p.m.)
In effect from noon on Dec. 31 until 1 a.m. on Jan. 1:
Kelly Drive from Fairmount Avenue to Fountain Green Drive
Closed from 10 p.m. on Dec. 31 until 1 a.m. on Jan. 1:
Lemon Hill Drive
Sedgley Drive
Waterworks Drive
Poplar Drive
Additional closures that could go into effect at 6 p.m. on Dec. 31 and immediately reopened following the event:
Spring Garden Tunnel
I-676 Off-Ramp at 22nd Street
I-676 On-Ramp at 22nd Street
I-76 eastbound Off-Ramp at Spring Garden Street
22nd Street between Winter Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
21st Street between Winter Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
No Parking Zones:
2200 – 2300 Park Towne Place (north side)
2200 Pennsylvania Avenue (south side)
SEPTA operating on modified schedule
SEPTA is running a modified Regional Rail schedule on New Year's Eve. On Wednesday, Dec. 31, Regional Rail trains will operate on a weekday schedule with special late-night service. Late-night New Year's Eve schedules include additional service on the following lines:
- Chestnut Hill East Line
- Fox Chase Line
- Lansdale/Doylestown Line
- Manayunk/Norristown Line
- Media/Wawa Line
- Paoli/Thorndale Line (to Malvern Station only)
- Trenton Line
- Warminster Line
- West Trenton Line
- Wilmington/Newark Line (to Marcus Hook Station only)
Metro lines are operating on a weekday schedule, and Broad Street Line and Market-Frankford Line trains operate before and after the New Year's Eve fireworks at Penn's Landing. Late-night trains will run until 12:30 am.
Select bus routes are operating on a modified weekday schedule, and a number of bus routes are being detoured ahead of the New Year's Day Mummers Parade.
Items prohibited inside the Parkway during the event
A number of items are barred from the New Year's Eve concert and fireworks on the Parkway. A full list of prohibited items is posted on the city's website, including the following:
- Weapons of any kind
- Fireworks, firecrackers, explosives or sparklers
- Drugs and alcohol
- Flyers and handouts or large signs and banners that would obstruct someone's view
- Glass containers
- Selfie sticks
- Animals, except for ADA defined service animals
Anyone entering the festival footprint is subject to search, along with their bags.