Mayor Brandon Johnson Announces Chicago’s First Live New Year’s Eve Celebration
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CHICAGO ~ Chicago is set to make history this New Year's Eve as it hosts the first ever Central Time zone midnight countdown live broadcast of "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve." The announcement was made today by ABC7, Dick Clark Productions (DCP), Mayor Brandon Johnson, and Choose Chicago.

"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 highly anticipated event will feature a new host, live performances, and on-the-ground updates and reporting throughout the evening. This partnership between Chicago and Dick Clark Productions will bring national attention to the city and solidify its place among the top New Year's Eve celebrations in the world.

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Choose Chicago President and CEO Kristen Reynolds expressed her excitement about this opportunity, stating, "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."

The announcement comes on the heels of WalletHub ranking Chicago as the top winter travel destination. It also builds on the success of this past summer when Chicago broke its tourism record with over 3.5 million hotel bookings.

Chicago will join New York City's Times Square for a live Eastern Time zone countdown and Puerto Rico for a Spanish language live Atlantic Time zone countdown. This means that viewers across the nation will be able to experience Chicago's energy and New Year's festivities from their own homes.

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John Idler, general manager and president of WLS-TV Chicago, expressed his excitement about showcasing the city on a national platform, saying, "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."

The highly anticipated event, "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2026," will air live on ABC on Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 8:00 p.m. EST. This annual program has been ranked as the No. 1 New Year's Eve special each year and attracted 29 million viewers at midnight last year, reaching over 33 million viewers throughout the night.

Mayor Johnson joined ABC7 this morning to discuss this exciting announcement and additional details about the celebration will be announced soon. As Chicago prepares to ring in the new year with style and pride, all eyes will be on this historic Central Time zone countdown broadcast of "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve."

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