Party Planner

The 9 best ways to party on New Year's Eve in Fort Worth and Dallas

Ritz & Wonders is a new, 1920s circus-themed event in Fort Worth.

Photo by Wesley Kirk

Whether you had a good or bad year in 2017, the dawn of 2018 brings the promise of a fresh start. End the year with a bang at one of the best New Year's Eve events in Fort Worth or Dallas by dancing, counting down until midnight, and taking in some spectacular fireworks. Still looking for dinner reservations? Check out our list of the best New Year's Eve dinners in Fort Worth.

Ritz & Wonders: The Greatest Show on NYE
Something brand new comes to Fort Worth courtesy of this 1920s-themed circus experience, featuring immersive, vintage-inspired acrobatic, aerial, and magic performances every half hour and an under-the-big-top champagne countdown. The event, taking place in the Foundry District, will also feature a DJ set by Ronnie Heart and Pop Boy Etc, an art installation by Jay Wilkinson and Brandon Pederson, and food trucks like Beignet Bus and Gepetto's Pizza Truck.

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents New Year's Eve: A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald
Grammy Award-winning singer Carmen Bradford, a household name to many and one of the greatest jazz vocalists alive today, joins the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra to ring in the New Year at Bass Hall. Grammy and Emmy award-winning conductor Lee Musiker leads this singing, swinging celebration of the “First Lady of Song,” Ella Fitzgerald. After the concert, head to Sundance Square for an adult beverage and countdown to midnight in the plaza.

Randy Rogers Band at Billy Bob's Texas
Randy Rogers Band comes to Fort Worth in support of their album, Nothing Shines Like Neon. Doors open at 6 pm to start the New Year's Eve revelry, and the featured concert begins at 10:30 pm.

Messina Hof Winery Grapevine presents New Year's Eve Masquerade Ball
At Messina Hof Grapevine, you can go dressy with their New Year's Eve Masquerade Ball. Cocktail attire and masks are encouraged for the evening, which will feature heavy hors d’oeuvres, an open wine bar, desserts, countdown, and a sparkling wine toast at midnight.

AT&T Streaming Lights at Reunion Tower
Reunion Tower will put on another fantastic fireworks show, and even though you're not allowed to watch them close to the tower itself, locations around Dallas will host watch parties for revelers. You can either take in one of the official watch parties, including one at Saint Rocco's featuring a performance by Jackopierce, or scout out vantage points on the west side of the Trinity River, along the levees, and Trinity Overlook Park. A radio simulcast of celebratory music will play on NOW 102.9 FM.

Dallas NYE Ball
The annual Dallas NYE Ball, taking place at Crowne Plaza in downtown Dallas, has been upgraded from two party floors to three, with different experiences on each floor. The top floor will have '90s, '80s, and "Throwback" music, as well as multiple bars and party games. The middle floor hosts the Las Vegas-inspired illume Nightclub, featuring two separate rooms connected by a round bar room. The bottom floor is the grand ballroom turned to a nightclub, featuring a massive dance floor, VIP booths and tables, multiple bars, and beer pong.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents New Year’s Eve 2017
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra will celebrate the most festive night of the year by performing a European-style concert with Viennese waltzes, marches, overtures, and more. The concert, taking place at the Meyerson Symphony Center and conducted by Ruth Reinhardt, will come complete with a champagne toast at midnight.

10th Annual A Very Texas New Year's Eve
Granada Theater's New Year's Eve tradition is the annual A Very Texas New Year's Eve with Jonathan Tyler & Friends. In addition to a performance by Tyler, the event will include sets from The Texas Gentlemen and Vandoliers. Tyler will also be joined on stage by friends and musical collaborators, including Nikki Lane, Charlie Sexton, Paul Cauthen, and others.

W Dallas – Victory Hotel presents New Year’s Eve Soirée: Remix Your Year
This party at the W Hotel has one big thing going for it: The view. Guests will get to see the fireworks at Reunion Tower from high atop the Victory Park hotel, one of the best vantage points in town. Even without the fireworks, it'll be a great time thanks to tunes spun by DJ Lucius and, naturally, a midnight champagne toast.

holidays event-planner

Holiday fun

Streets closed, parking + more 411 on Fort Worth Parade of Lights 2024

GM Financial Parade of Lights Fort Worth

Photo courtesy of Parade of Lights

undefined

It'll begin to look a lot like Christmas in Fort Worth when the 42nd annual GM Financial Parade of Lightsparades through downtown the evening of Sunday, November 24.

Getting caught in stalled traffic and squabbling over parking spots, however, are major bah humbugs. Here's a guide to all the road closures (they start at 6 am!), parking, public transportation options, the parade route, and more good info to know before you head downtown. All information is provided by the parade organizers, and more can be found on their website.

What, when & where: Themed “Holiday Wishes," the parade will feature floats, vintage cars, horse-drawn carriages, marching bands, and carolers along the 1.59-mile route through downtown Fort Worth. Carrying on the long-standing tradition, the largest illuminated parade in the state of Texas will conclude with a special appearance from Santa and Mrs. Claus on the specially designed, LED-lit, grand finale float. The parade officially kicks off at 6 pm Sunday, November 24.

Street closures: They start at 6 am Sunday. Repeat: 6 am, a full 12 hours before the parade starts. They include portions of Weatherford Street, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Streets, Taylor, Lamar, Burnett, Cherry and Florence Streets. Spur 280 from Interstate 35 will close at 4 p.m. Belknap, Henderson, and North Main Streets will remain open to traffic during the parade. For a full list of street closures and times, check out this chart.

Parking: For attendees planning to drive and self-park downtown, organizers recommend entering downtown from the same direction they plan to sit or view the parade from, due to the many streets that will be closed and un-crossable. Several free and paid lots and garages will be accessible for parking on parade day. Parking next to bagged meters is not allowed. Head to www.fortworthparking.com/downtown to review all downtown parking options.

Public transportation: Skip the driving headaches and board the train. Trinity Metro’s 27-mile commuter rail line, TEXRail, will operate its Sunday trains before and after the parade, taking attendees to and from Fort Worth Central Station, two blocks from the parade. Park-and-ride options are available at North Side Station (2829 Decatur Ave.) and Fort Worth T&P Station (221 W. Lancaster Ave.). Parking will be free at most TEXRail stations and riders can save 50% on the GoPass app using promo code POL24A. NOTE: The Trinity Railway Express will NOT operate on parade day. Visit https://ridetrinitymetro.org/texrail-schedule for schedules and more information.

The parade route: The parade and opening ceremonies start at 6 pm at Weatherford and Throckmorton streets. This year it will proceed east along Weatherford Street, and turn south on Commerce Street all the way to 9th Street. At 9th Street, the parade will proceed west to Houston Street, and then turn north on Houston Street all the way to 2nd Street. At 2nd Street, the parade will proceed west to Throckmorton Street, then turn south and conclude at 3rd and Throckmorton Streets. To view the complete parade route and map, go here. Not sure where to watch? People line up on all portions of the route.

Paid viewing: There is paid, reserved seating along the route, and as of press time, there were still seats available. “Street Seats” guarantee a prime viewing spot. They start at $15 for children and $17.50 for adults and are available for purchase online online.

Root, root, root for the grand marshals: Members of the 2023 World Series champion Texas Rangers will serve as the parade’s grand marshals. Outfielder and 2023 Rangers postseason standout- Evan Carter, along with Texas Rangers mascot, Captain, and the 2023 World Series Trophy will ride atop the Grand Marshal float.

Reasons to arrive early: Due to road closures and traffic delays, attendees are encouraged to arrive downtown early to eat, shop, and more. Family-friendly happenings downtown on Sunday include:

Free tours of the Tarrant County Courthouse: From 2:30-4:45 pm, the Tarrant County Courthouse will offer free tours. The famous pink-granite courthouse was built in 1895 and took over two years to build.
Family Day at Sid Richardson Museum: Families are encouraged to visit the Sid Richardson Museum for free creative fun, live screen printing, and giveaways.
Note that the Sundance Square Christmas tree lighting will NOT be taking place in conjunction with the Parade of Lights this year.
Many other big local holiday events will be worth checking out before or after the parade. Check out this list of Christmas light events, for example.

Watch it live: For those unable to attend in person, a live TV broadcast of the parade will air on KTXA-TV / TXA-21 and online at CBSDFW.com at 6 pm, with a second TV broadcast airing on KTXA-TV / TXA-21 on Christmas Eve at 8 pm. In addition, the parade will broadcast via Facebook Live on the Parade of Lights’ Facebook event page.

Get social: The official hashtag for the 2024 GM Financial Parade of Lights is #ParadeOfLights2024. Follow along for updates on the Parade of Lights via these social media pages:

Online: www.FortWorthParadeOfLights.org
On Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ParadeofLightsFW
On Instagram: www.instagram.com/paradeoflightsfw/

family friendly parade lights christmas downtown fort worth holidays