New Year's Eve Glowstick Parade & Fireworks at Palisades Tahoe

Palisades Tahoe rings in 2027 with a free, family-friendly New Year's Eve celebration on Thursday, December 31, 2026 in Olympic Valley. The resort's night includes a glowstick parade from Exhibition Chairlift at 5 p.m., fireworks near the KT Deck at 7 p.m. and an East Coast balloon drop at Bar One at 9 p.m.

What New Year's Eve at Palisades Is Like

This is a New Year's Eve built around kids' bedtimes. As dusk settles over Olympic Valley, a trail of glowing lights winds down the slope below Exhibition Chairlift while families gather at the base to watch. In past years, live music and kids' games have filled the Village along with a lively holiday crowd, and when the fireworks burst near the KT Deck at 7 p.m., the whole base area lights up with them. By 9 p.m., Bar One counts down to midnight on New York time and drops the balloons, so the youngest revelers get their big moment and can still be in bed at a reasonable hour. It's a mix of locals and holiday visitors, plenty of them still in ski gear from the day, and the evening feels like a mountain-town block party. In past years, adults who wanted to keep going could head to a separate ticketed after party later in the night.

Event Highlights

The glowstick parade is the signature moment, with the first group heading down from Exhibition Chairlift at 5 p.m. In past years, skiers and riders signed up in advance for a parade time slot, and the 2024 parade was open to registrants ages 5 and up, so watch the event page for 2026 sign-up details. The fireworks follow at 7 p.m. near the KT Deck, and the 9 p.m. East Coast balloon drop at Bar One gives families a midnight moment without the late night. Disco tubing has also been part of the evening in past years.

2026 Schedule

Thursday, Dec. 31: Glowstick parade (first group) at 5 p.m. from Exhibition Chairlift, fireworks near the KT Deck at 7 p.m. and the East Coast balloon drop at Bar One at 9 p.m.

Cost and What to Bring

The parade, fireworks and Village festivities are free. In past years, a separate ticketed NYE After Party ran late into the night at the Olympic Village Events Center, but Palisades hadn't posted 2026 details at the time of writing. Food and drinks around the Village are pay as you go. Plan for a December night outdoors at around 6,200 feet, with a warm jacket, hat, gloves and insulated boots. Outdoor events like fireworks can be affected by winter weather, so check the resort's updates that afternoon before you head over.

Parking and Getting There

Palisades Tahoe is at 1960 Olympic Valley Road, off Highway 89 between Tahoe City and Truckee. New Year's Eve falls inside the resort's holiday parking period, when reservations are required before 1 p.m., but parking after 1 p.m. is free with no reservation as space becomes available, so evening visitors can usually just drive in. Placer County prohibits parking on Olympic Valley Road and nearby side streets from November 1 to May 1. Within Olympic Valley, the free Mountaineer on-demand shuttle's winter 2026-27 schedule runs until 11 p.m. and adds extended New Year's Eve service from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. Rides are booked through the Mountaineer app.

Get the latest schedule on the Palisades Tahoe New Year's Eve page.