Date/Time: Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023 from 7 p.m. – midnight with countdown to fireworks beginning at 11:55 p.m.
Location: Auditorium Shores (800 W Riverside Dr., Austin, TX 78704)
Tickets: Austin’s New Year is free and open to the public
Event Website: Austintexas.gov/ANY
Join the City of Austin and Visit Austin for a free and family-friendly evening as Austin waves goodbye to 2023 and welcomes in the 2024 new year at Auditorium Shores. CNN Anchor Sara Sidner and CNN Contributor Cari Champion will be live at Austin’s countdown as part of the networks “New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen.” Austin’s New Year also features a night of entertainment headlined by The Band of Heathens, food trucks and beverage vendors, and a midnight fireworks show.
Schedule of Events
Park grounds at Auditorium Shores will open at 7 p.m. with the opening musical act beginning shortly after. Austin's New Year will continue later in the evening with a performance from The Suffers, followed by a headlining set from The Band of Heathens. CNN will broadcast the Central Time Zone countdown live from Auditorium Shores starting at 11:30 p.m. The onsite countdown to the 2024 new year begins at 11:55 p.m. followed by the annual fireworks show. Visit the event webpage for additional information.
Attendees are welcome to bring blankets and chairs, but pets – except for trained service dogs – are not allowed. A variety of vendors will have food, non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks available for purchase. No outside alcohol, glass, fireworks, or sparklers will be allowed at Auditorium Shores. Additional allowed and prohibited items and activities can be found at Austintexas.gov/ANY.
Parking for Austin’s New Year
Expect congestion in and around the downtown area, South Lamar Boulevard, Barton Springs Road and Riverside Drive. Please observe the Bouldin Creek Neighborhood parking restrictions in place for safety. Attendee parking options include:
- Public Parking north of Lady Bird Lake
- One Texas Center
- Palmer Events Center Garage
- River South Garage at Riverside Drive and South First Street
- City Hall Garage
- State Garage N
ADA-accessible parking will be available at the Palmer Event Center Garage and One Texas Center.
Alternative Transportation Options
- Hike-and-Bike Trail — Bring a light and remember, motorized vehicles are not permitted.
- Bike to the event — The park is open and you can ride directly to Auditorium Shores.
- CapMetro — Free rides are available after 5 p.m. on all services. Bus routes will operate regular service and Night Owls will run from 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. The last CapMetro Rail service train will leave Downtown Station at 2:22 a.m. Please use the CapMetro Trip Planner to find your best transit option.
- Shared Mobility / Dockless Devices – The southwest corner of Riverside Drive and South First Street will be available for drop-off.
Road and Lake Closure Information
The cut-out spaces along Riverside Drive in front of Auditorium Shores will be closed Dec. 29 – Jan. 1. For Austin’s New Year on Dec. 31:
- West Riverside Drive from Lee Barton Drive to South First Street will be closed from 7 p.m. – 1 a.m.
- South First Street. from Cesar Chavez Street to Riverside Drive will be closed from 11 p.m. – 1 a.m.
A detailed road closure map is available to help plan getting to and from Austin’s New Year.
For safety reasons, Lady Bird Lake between the railroad trestle bridge and the South First Street bridge will be closed to all watercraft from 10:30 p.m. Dec. 31, 2023 – 1 a.m. Jan. 1, 2024.
Additional Safety Tips for Austin’s New Year
The Austin Police Department, Austin Fire Department, and Austin-Travis County EMS work in partnership to create a safe environment in which everyone can enjoy the New Year celebration and encourage attendees to:
- Remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to 9-1-1.
- Plan for the weather forecast as temperatures may be cold.
- Stay with your group and have a pre-planned meeting location in case of separation.
- Be mindful of pedestrians, scooter riders, bicyclists and other vulnerable road users when traveling.
- Keep your phone fully charged.
- Plan ahead to have a safe ride home.
- Download the what3words app to pinpoint and share your location.
Austin Public Health recommends attendees get vaccinated, use hand sanitizer, wash hands often and stay home if you feel sick. Find vaccines near you at vaccines.gov (vacunas.gov en Español).
About Visit Austin
Visit Austin is the official destination marketing and sales organization for the City of Austin. An accredited member of Destinations International, Visit Austin is charged with marketing Austin nationally and internationally as a premier business and leisure destination, thus enriching our community's overall quality of life.
About Austin Center for Events
The Austin Center for Events (ACE) is a collaborative assembly of City of Austin departments and agencies designed to streamline special event permitting on public and private property. ACE is anchored by teams from Austin Public Health, Transportation and Public Works, Parks, Music, Police, Fire, EMS, Austin Resource Recovery, Development Services, and partner agencies, and works closely with event organizers to guide them through the special event permitting process.
