First Night Monterey

Welcome 2027 with art, music, and dance at the 34th annual First Night Monterey. The family-friendly, alcohol-free New Year's Eve festival fills historic downtown Monterey with performances and hands-on art from 3 p.m. to midnight on Thursday, December 31, 2026. This year's theme is "Color the Night," with mostly indoor venues and indoor countdown finales. An admission button is required; children 5 and under attend free. Downtown is about a 5-minute drive from Stargazer Hotel.

Photo: "Golden State Theatre (7299092224)" by David Prasad from Fresno, CA., United States, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0; resized.