Family New Year’s Eve Celebrations to Ring in 2025
Dec 26, 2024
A 12pm balloon drop and more fun at Noon Yards Eve
The countdown to 2025 is on, and if you’re looking for ways to ring it in with young revelers, you have many options! There are a bunch of family-friendly ways to celebrate around the area, from organized events to plan-it-yourself activities. Here are details and inspiration for your gang to get in on the fun — all of them taking place on December 31. Happy New Year!
Noon Yards Eve
Where: The Yards Park | Capitol Riverfront, DC
When: 10am – 1pm
Admission: Free
The Yards’ annual New Year’s Eve celebration especially for families is back! Celebrate with complimentary activities for kids of all ages including trackless train rides through The Yards, an inflatable slide and bounce house, glitter tattoo artists, carnival games, A DJ playing tunes, crafts, a magic show, and the sparkling balloon-drop at noon!
Rocknoceros New Year’s Eve Party
Where: Jammin Java | Vienna, VA
When: 2pm (doors open 1:30pm)
Admission: $10
The widely popular band that always gets kids rockin’ will be back at Jammin Java to play a special New Year’s Eve concert. The hour-long program will include live music from the favorite area family-jam band, New Year’s resolutions, the Ball Drop, and a complimentary apple juice toast. Doors open at 1:30pm, and general admission seating is on a first come, first served basis.
Family New Year’s Party
Where: metrobar | Northeast DC
When: 4-7:30pm
Admission: $15
Jump aboard the “way-before-midnight” train at metrobar’s family-friendly afternoon celebration, with festive cocktails for adults from the new winter menu and kids activities and games. metrobar is also bringing in live entertainment for all! Don’t worry about the cold — they’ll have the heated Railcar Bar with enclosed spaces aplenty, fire pits, and patio heaters. That, along with their selection of hot cocktails, will keep you warm as you celebrate 2025!
NYE Kids Pizza Party
Where: ANXO | Brightwood, DC
When: 5-7pm
Admission: Cost of your meal/drinks
If you’re looking for something fun and tasty to do with your kids on New Year’s Eve, head to anxo, where all pizza will be 25% OFF ALL NIGHT. Plus they’ll have free Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple Juice for kids, bubbly by the glass, specials, and more!
First Night Alexandria
Where: Old Town | Alexandria, VA
When: Starting at 2pm
Admission: Free – $75
The largest family-focused and alcohol-free New Year’s Eve event in the region is back with family-friendly shows starting in the early afternoon. See more than 100 performances on stages throughout Old Town Alexandria. Entertainers include children’s musicians, blue grass bands, jazz artists, rock cover bands, acapella groups, jugglers, magicians, and more. End the evening with a spectacular fireworks display on the Potomac River at the foot of King Street! See the website for the full schedule pricing as it varies by age and timing.
New Year’s Eve Around the World
Where: Children’s Science Center Lab | Fairfax, VA
When: 10am – 12pm
Admission: $15 (adults, too)
Ring in 2025 STEM-style and enjoy New Year’s Eve fun without the late night! At this activity spot in Fair Oaks Mall known for hands-on, STEM-based activities, the day’s fun will include engineering New Year’s thaumatrope, indulging in glittery excitement of Celebration Slime, and creating your own 2025 Headbands! Three, two-hour time slots are available, so you can celebrate at the Lab at a time that works for your family. Read more about the LAB in this KFDC post.
Show Time
Where: Theatres around the DC area
When: Times vary by show
Admission: Ticket prices vary by show
Make the last day of the year special with some live entertainment. Local stages will be presenting all kinds of shows on New Year’s Eve. See Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood at Imagination Stage, & Juliet or Life of Pi at the Kennedy Center, A Christmas Carol at Folger Theatre, Disney’s Frozen at Olney Theatre, or another show running now. See what’s else is in theatres in this round-up of winter entertainment.
Watch Night New Year’s Eve Celebration
Where: 100 Block of West Broad Street | Falls Church, VA
When: 7pm – Midnight
Admission: Free
Ring in the New Year with free, family-friendly festivities at Falls Church’s annual New Year’s Eve celebration. Enjoy food, music, singing, dancing, entertainment, performances and interactive festivities that appeal to all ages. Highlights include inflatable bouncy fun, a climbing wall, balloon art, karaoke, face painting, puppet shows, and special Watch Night menus at local restaurants. All events take place within a four-block area that begins on the 100 Block of West Broad Street.
Midnight Noon
Where: Maryland Science Center | Baltimore, MD
When: 10am – 2pm
Admission: $26.95/adult, $20.95/3-12, free/2 & under
Join the MSC for their annual New Year’s Eve celebration, Midnight Noon, where kids can enjoy the ball drop before bedtime. Enjoy loads of festive activities and games, explore all three floors of hands-on science exhibits, dance and sing along with the Rainbow Rock Band, and ring in the New Year with a noontime ball drop! Read all about the MSC here. All activities are free with paid admission (and completely free to members).
Noontime New Year
Where: Port Discovery | Baltimore, MD
When: 10am – 5pm
Admission: $23.95 ages 2+
The children’s museum in Baltimore is hosting its annual New Year’s Eve celebration! Ring in 2025 with all kinds of fun. Enjoy a special countdown to noon complete with a balloon drop, lively performances, and interactive games that encourage teamwork and creativity. This fun-filled event is included with museum admission, so bring the whole fam to celebrate the arrival of the new year together. Read more about the wonderful spot for kids here.
New Year’s Night Lights
Where: Around the DC area
When: After dark
Admission: Varies by locale
Start your own family New Year’s Eve tradition with a seasonal treat: Bundle up for a stroll or take a drive through one of several spectacular holiday light displays! Most of the light shows that dazzle this time of year are open on New Year’s Eve. If you’re enjoying it from the comfort of a car, pack a thermos of hot chocolate, yummy snacks, and prepare a festive playlist for the ride.
Glide into 2025
Where: Ice rinks around the DC area
When: Throughout the day & evening
Admission: Varies by rink
Skate under the stars to celebrate the start of the new year. Gliding on ice surrounded by twinkling lights, art sculptures, and/or the hubbub of people in festive spirits is a fun, active way to revel. Be sure to check times for each rink, as hours may change for the holiday.
Swoosh into 2025
Where: Ski resorts around the region
When: Through winter
Admission: Varies by resort
Hit the slopes for a fun, active way to ring inthe new year. There are a bunch of ski resorts within a few hours’ drive that are great for young, newbie skiers (and veteran swooshers, too). This post has info about Whitetail and one of our day trips there, and other relatively close resorts are Liberty and Bryce. Farther away, but good to check out if you can swing an overnight or longer are Roundtop, Massanutten, Wintergreen, Seven Springs, Hidden Valley, Snowshoe, Timberline, and Wisp.
Of course, you can celebrate New Year’s Eve at home, too!
Plan a special meal with the fam, play some fun family games, decorate for the occasion with some of your own creations, and maybe let the kids stay up late to watch the ball drop. Here are some things that could help make it festive and fun:
* A New Year’s Eve supplies pack.
* NYE dinner recipes (including plenty kids will love).
* NYE kids party ideas.
* A giant New Year’s coloring poster or tablecloth for a group project.
* DIY party hats.
* New Year’s tattoos.
* A laugh-inducing family board game.
* Or my fave that’s a little more challenging.
* Or this one that sounds perfect with the whole fam.
* Rig your own ball drop (or just have a dance party under it).
* Have your drinkware ready.
* Bubbles for the kiddos, too!
Do you have other New Year’s Eve celebration ideas, either around DC or at home? Let us know in the comments!