Chicago City Wire

Chicago will be featured as a live broadcast location for “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” for the first time, according to an announcement made by ABC7, Dick Clark Productions, Mayor Brandon Johnson, and Choose Chicago. The event will include the Central Time zone’s first live midnight countdown in the show’s history.

"We are proud to announce that Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve is coming to the greatest city in the world," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the beauty and dynamism of our city and its people for the world to see. We could not be more excited to welcome in the new year with fireworks, music, and Chicago pride."

The program will introduce a new host and feature live performances, as well as updates from locations around Chicago during the evening.

Choose Chicago President and CEO Kristen Reynolds commented on the significance of this development: “This is an incredible opportunity to showcase Chicago on one of the biggest nights of the year. Partnering with Dick Clark Productions brings national attention to our city and positions Chicago among the world’s top New Year’s Eve celebrations—marking yet another first-time milestone for our destination,” she said. “Choose Chicago is proudto help make this happen, and we thank Mayor Brandon Johnson, DCASE, ABC7, and Dick Clark Productions for helping share Chicago’s unmatched energy, pride, and spirit with the world.”

The announcement follows recent recognition by WalletHub naming Chicago as a leading winter travel destination. It also comes after a record-breaking summer tourism season where hotel bookings surpassed 3.5 million.

Alongside broadcasts from Times Square in New York City (Eastern Time) and Puerto Rico (Atlantic Time), Chicago will join as a key site bringing its local celebration into homes nationwide.

John Idler, general manager and president of WLS-TV Chicago (ABC7), stated: “WLS-TV is ‘Chicago Proud’ to have the opportunity to showcase the amazing city of Chicago on Dick Clark Rockin’ New Years Eve. We look forward to bringing viewers a spectacular fireworks display centered around the iconic bridges that cross the Chicago River and cascade over the city’s world-class architecture."

“Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2026” will air live on ABC starting at 8:00 p.m. EST on December 31. Last year’s broadcast reached over 33 million viewers throughout the night.

Mayor Johnson appeared on ABC7 earlier today to discuss these plans further. More details about Chicago's participation in this event are expected soon.