AUSTIN, Texas — The city of Austin will ring in the new year with live music, food trucks, a beer garden and of course, fireworks, at Auditorium Shores.

What You Need To Know

  • Austin's New Year's Eve celebration to take place on Dec. 31 at Auditorium Shores

  • CNN’s Sara Sidner, Harry Enten and Cari Champion will host

  • Third Eye Blind, DJ Mel, Angélica Rahe and Gina Chavez will perform

  • The free event will feature food trucks, a beer garden and drone and fireworks shows

CNN’s Sara Sidner, Harry Enten and Cari Champion will host “Austin’s New Year” on Tues. Dec. 31 for everyone in the Central Time zone. The countdown to 2025 will begin at 11:30 p.m.

The free event is part of the network’s annual “New Year’s Eve Live” with Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper, live from New York City’s Times Square.

Third Eye Blind, DJ Mel, Angélica Rahe and Gina Chavez will perform at the Austin celebration. 

“Austin’s New Year is back and bigger than ever, and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate at Auditorium Shores,” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said. “This City is no stranger to hosting world class events, so it’s no surprise CNN is returning to count down to the new year in the Live Music Capital of the World.”

Attendees can bring blankets and chairs to relax and enjoy the show. Pets, aside from service animals, are not permitted.

Schedule of events:

  • 7 p.m.: Park grounds, food trucks, and beer garden open
  • 7 p.m. - 11:45 p.m.: Performances by DJ Mel, Angélica Rahe, Gina Chavez and Third Eye Blind
  • 11:45 p.m. - 11:55 p.m.: “Austin’s New Year” drone show presented by Arca Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages
  • 11:55 p.m. - midnight: Countdown to 2025 ending with a midnight fireworks show

Local food vendors:

  • Amy’s Ice Cream
  • Burro Cheese Kitchen
  • Garbo’s Lobster
  • Gelu Italian Ice
  • Iron Burger
  • Peace, Love and Burgers
  • RedFin Mobile
  • Shawarma Point
  • Tacobaby
  • The Mighty Cone
  • Yapa Artisan Empanadas

Transportation and road closures

Parking is available at One Texas Center, the Palmer Events Center, the RiverSouth Garage, City Hall and State Garage N. 

CapMetro will offer free rides on all services after 5 p.m. on Dec. 31. Use the planner to browse transit options.

West Riverside Drive from Lee Barton Drive to South First Street will be closed from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. And South First Street from Cesar Chavez Street to Riverside Drive will be closed from 10:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. View the road closure map here.

Lady Bird Lake will also be closed to all watercraft between the railroad trestle bridge and the South First Street bridge from 10:30 p.m. Dec. 31, 2024 to 1 a.m. Jan. 1, 2025.