New Year's Eve in Monterey does not have to mean a late night out at a bar. First Night Monterey turns historic downtown into a walkable arts festival from 3 p.m. to midnight on Thursday, December 31, 2026. It is the festival's 34th year, and this year's theme is "Color the Night." Details below come from the organizers at firstnightmonterey.org.
What to expect
- Admission is a festival button, which gets you into the performances. Kids 5 and under are free.
- Buttons go on sale online in mid-November (pick them up at will-call on December 30 or 31). Select local shops sell them in December, and you can also buy them at the event.
- Roughly 85% of the venues are indoors, so the night goes ahead rain or shine.
- Families can start early: Kids' Night Out begins at 3 p.m. at the Monterey Conference Center.
- The evening closes with indoor finale concerts counting down to midnight. Seats are limited, so button holders should grab a free finale ticket at the festival kiosk in Del Monte Plaza (available after 8 p.m.).
- The whole festival is alcohol-free.
Tips
- Check the official site in November and December for the performer lineup, venue map, and schedule, and allow time to walk between venues. Seating is first come, first served.
- Early-bird button pricing runs from mid-November to mid-December.
- Bring layers. Late-December evenings in Monterey are cool and often damp.
- Stay for New Year's Day: walk Old Fisherman's Wharf, Cannery Row, or the adobes of Old Monterey.
Stay at Stargazer Hotel
Stargazer Hotel on Munras Avenue is just minutes from downtown Monterey and Fisherman's Wharf, so getting back after the midnight countdown is easy. Free parking, and an indoor heated pool for a slow New Year's Day. Book direct for the best rates.
Photo: "Golden State Theatre (7299092224)" by David Prasad from Fresno, CA., United States, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0; resized.
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