Chilly and wet, Las Vegas still rings in 2026 in style

Fireworks erupt about the Strip on New Year's Eve celebrations from the Skyfall Panoramic Bar & Lounge atop the Delano on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, in Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

It was only a little past 9 p.m. on the casino floor at the Bellagio, but Walter Summers was already spent. And he was pretty sure his left boot had a hole in the bottom because his sock was soaked.

The 24-year-old Uber driver from Tacoma, Washington, had never been to Las Vegas and was getting over a recent breakup. His two cousins brought him out for a guy’s trip, but in that moment they were nowhere to be found.

“I don’t know where my people are,” he said. “This is the second time today they did this.”

Just as Summers was about to head back to the room for a fresh pair of socks, his cell pinged with a message from his absent cousins. One of them had hit a slot jackpot at The Cosmopolitan for “five figures” and was waiting for his handpay.

“Drinks are on that guy tonight,” Summers said, energized by his lucky association. “He doesn’t know it yet, but we’re doing shots of Louis XIII as soon as I find him.”

Summers had discovered the hidden magic of a Las Vegas New Year’s Eve. He was one of hundreds of thousands who chose Sin City as the place to be to ring in the new year, bringing holiday cheer downtown and to the Strip.

New Year's revelers walk through the rain at the Fremont Street Experience on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in downtown Las Vegas. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Near the end of the night, despite the cold, rainy weather, everything came together with a barrage of fireworks launched off the top of 10 resort-casinos and a brand-new show put on with 600 drones carrying colorful LED lights.

CeeLo Green performs as New Year's revelers gather at the Fremont Street Experience on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in downtown Las Vegas. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Las Vegas Review-Journal reporters documented the holiday chaos from throughout Sin City into the late evening.

‘Busiest day of the year’

For some, the influx of tourists on New Year’s Eve is when cash rolls in the fastest.

A day that is usually a guaranteed bet for Cruz Robles, 40, who said he’s been selling light-up accessories for two decades, soured this time because of the weather.

People with umbrellas walk on the Las Vegas Strip ahead of New Year's Eve festivities on Dec. 31, 2025.

Outside of The Venetian on Wednesday, he and his daughter, Natalia Robles, had trouble keeping dry an array of flashy goods, including glasses and sequined fedoras.

“Since it’s raining, it is very little sales,” said Natalia Robles, translating for her Spanish-speaking father.

Others appeared to be having a bit more success in spite of the damp challenges of the evening.

After seeing “The Wizard of Oz” film at the Sphere, Andrea Lopez, of Phoenix, got her chance to take a photo with an odd cast of characters at Harrah’s: Captain America, Sonic the Hedgehog, Bluey and Stitch.

The man dressed as Captain America, who declined to share his true identity when speaking to a reporter, said the money he was making Wednesday will help him and his wife raise the newborn child they’re expecting in 2026.

“I think this could be the busiest day of the year,” he said. “It’s the most fun.”

Rain presents some issues

Katie and Travis Meays, of Columbus, Nebraska, didn’t get the result they wanted out of the Las Vegas Bowl, where Nebraska fell to Utah 44-22. The downpour wasn’t in their initial plans either.

Not only did Utah winning the game rain on their parade, but Wednesday night’s weather literally did also, as a steady drizzle occurred on Las Vegas Boulevard, leading to some people to walking through puddles with snarls on.

“In Nebraska, this is normal,” Meays said. “It doesn’t rain on our parade. We’re going to be out anyway.”

Elsewhere, on Fremont Street, the canopy didn’t do a great job of shielding Grammy-winner CeeLo Green or singer Robin Thicke from the rain, but they both powered through. Thicke said of 2026: “”We need to get refreshed…it’s time to start fresh.”

The rain forced the closure of vendor stands under the Fremont Street canopy, including some that were earlier seen bagging merchandise as the weather worsened. Technicians protected the stages with plastic and tarps, even using a leaf blower on speaker monitors placed on the stage where rapper Chingy was scheduled to perform shortly before midnight.

Ken Wigginton, of Rhode Island, dances as New Year's revelers gather at the Fremont Street Experience on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in downtown Las Vegas. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

“Maybe it’s washing away the bad from (2025),” said Nita Gallarza, a 31-year-old nurse from Sarasota, Florida, who said her sleeveless gold dress and high heels made her seem like a “Vegas rookie” against the elements. “Maybe it’s a sign that 2026 will start fresh and clean. Or, I don’t know, maybe it’s just rain.”

Many found refuge from the rain inside the casinos on the Strip, skipping the firework displays all together.

Before midnight, the lines were backed up Fontainebleau’s LIV and Resorts World’s Zouk nightclubs. DJs John Summit and James Hype were each playing shows that night.

Danielle Panico, from Boston, was being herded into the club as she quickly yelled: “I don’t even drink or do drugs. I just come here for the vibes. It’s the best city in the country.”

Wishes for a new year

Around 9 p.m., a sea of people dressed in white were all headed to one place: the Backstreet Boys’ concert at the Sphere.

Among them were Las Vegas locals Katie Kenner and Carnell Johnson. Kenner said she was ready to begin the new year with the band that has long held a special place in her heart.

“There were so many plot twists in 2025; I’m looking forward to the plot twists in 2026,” Kenner said. “Bring it on.”

Billy Rollins, a union ironworker from Granite City, Illinois, said he was on Fremont Street to celebrate his wife’s 40th birthday on Wednesday. The pair were headed to Oscar’s Steakhouse in the early afternoon, and then planned to people watch.

Slots, blackjack and roulette are his draw to the casino scene, but Rollins said he doesn’t trust himself with cash.

“My wife holds all the money because, obviously, I’ll piss it all away so fast your head’ll spin,” he said.

Rollins, like many interviewed on Wednesday, said he was looking forward to the new year.

“Change is the only constant in life,” Rollins declared.

Contact Alan Halaly at [email protected]. Follow @AlanHalaly on X. Review-Journal staff writers Mary Hynes, David Danzis, Noble Brigham, Spencer Levering, Mick Akers, Emerson Drewes and Ricardo Torres-Cortez contributed to this report.

More New Year’s Eve coverage:

‘Busiest day of the year’

Rain presents some issues

Wishes for a new year

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