The final holiday of the season is here, and Annapolis knows how to send off the year in style. Whether you’re celebrating early with little ones (sun still up, bedtime intact) or counting down to midnight with friends, there’s no shortage of ways to ring in 2026. Brave the chill for fireworks over Spa Creek, settle into a cozy indoor party, or toast the new year with a cup o’ kindness (plus a splash of something extra). However you choose to celebrate, New Year’s Eve in Annapolis is all about good company and making memories that will keep you warm all the way until spring.
Family-Friendly Fun
Noon Year’s Eve at the Library
Bring the kiddos to your local library for stories, crafts, and dancing to celebrate the new —make that “noon”—year! Branches at Busch Annapolis, Severna Park, Discoveries: the Library at the Mall, Odenton, and Broadneck will have activities and fun times before the countdown to naptime. Visit Eastport-Annapolis Neck for a balloon drop at noon. Crofton Library will have a baby rave dance party complete with glow sticks. And later in the afternoon, Severn Library has karaoke for all ages. Bring the whole family! Just remember that all libraries close at 5 PM and reopen on January 2.
Best For: Varies by event, but most are for little kids ages zero to five.
Time: Various start times. Visit their website for more information.
Address: Check their website for the library closest to you.
Price: Free!
Fireworks on the Water
Viewing the dazzling display of colors reflected in the waters of Spa Creek is always a magical event in Annapolis. This year, the fireworks will happen at 9 PM to give families with young children a chance to enjoy the show before bedtime.
Tips: Get there early, bring blankets, and maybe travel mugs of warm drinks. Downtown parking is free for two hours at meters and kiosks, and the first hour is free at the Hillman Garage just be sure to use the ParkMobile app). There is also a free shuttle that runs from the Park Place, Knighton Garage, and Whitmore garages to City Dock in 10 minutes. View their live shuttle tracker to see more stops.
Best For: Families who can bundle up and tolerate the cold.
Time: 9 PM for the fireworks. Rain date is the following day, also at 9 PM.
Address: Downtown Annapolis
Price: Free!
A Cruise with the Best Views
Let Watermark take you on a journey this New Year’s Eve for their Annapolis Yacht Party. Drinks and dancing are all on deck for this family-friendly event. Enjoy a glass of something sparkling for you and some hot cocoa for the kids. You’ll have the best seats in the house for the Spa Creek fireworks at 9 PM. Then the DJ will get the whole family on the dance floor! Get your tickets today!
Note: Watermark will still cruise even if the fireworks are postponed due to weather.
Best For: All ages.
Time: 8 to 10 PM
Address: The Piers, 1 Prince George Street, Annapolis, MD 21401 (Note: Their website sometimes lists 1 Dock Street, but due to the renovations happening at City Dock, the launch will be at 1 Prince George Street.)
Price: $109 for adults. $59 for children under 13.
Bowling on Base
Fort Meade Family New Year’s Eve Party is an evening of food, games, and friendly competition on the lanes. Tickets include shoes, noisemakers, gift bags for the kids, and plenty of food such as pizza, sparkling cider, soda, and dessert. If you upgrade to include the buffet, you can find chicken wings, fruit, veggies, cheese, tater tots, meatballs, and more. Act fast and call (301) 677-5541 to reserve your tickets.
Best For: Military families
Time: 5 to 8:30 PM
Address: The Lanes Fort Meade Bowling Center, 2788 MacArthur Road, BLDG 2788, Fort Meade, MD 20755
Price: $140 per lane with a maximum of six people per lane. $75 for a lane-optional buffet upgrade.
Jump ‘til You Drop
Urban Air Adventure Park is hosting a Noon Year’s Eve celebration at all of its locations, including in Glen Burnie. For the price of a ticket, your kids can jump the day away with full access to their attractions. Then you can celebrate with a ball drop at noon. Party favors are included! Just make sure to sign their waiver ahead of time.
Best For: Families with elementary-aged kids and teens. There are attractions for children shorter than 40 inches, but Urban Air is geared toward older children.
Time: 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Address: 7702 Ritchie Highway, Suite 11A, Glen Burnie, MD 21060
Price: Tickets start at $26.99.
Party and Playtime
At Dave & Buster’s, there is twice the opportunity for fun. Early in the evening, they have a family-friendly event that lets you finish partying before bedtime. You and your kids can enjoy delicious food and sparkling drinks while playing any of D&B’s arcade games. Tickets include a $20 Power Card, appetizers, desserts, unlimited soft drinks, and party favors. Later on, they’ll have an adults-only celebration, with all the same fun plus with a champagne toast at midnight. Then you can keep the party going with more games until 1 AM!
Best For: Families with older kids who can enjoy the arcade games. The evening party is for 21 and up.
Time: Family friendly event is from 4 PM to 7 PM. The late night event is from 9 PM to 1 AM.
Address: Arundel Mills, 7000 Arundel Mills Cir, Hanover, 21076
Price: $33.79 for the family event. $68.79 for the adults only event. Visit their website for more info.
Go Navy
Get yourself to Alumni Hall at the Naval Academy to cheer on the men’s basketball team against Boston University. Tickets are only $10 a pop, so it’s a great activity for the whole family! Just remember that to get into the Naval Academy, you will need to show your ID. Children will need to show ID unless accompanied by an adult. More info can be found on their website.
Best For: All ages.
Time: 1 to 3 PM
Address: 675 Decatur Rd., Annapolis, MD 21401
Price: $10 per ticket.
Get a Sitter
Boogie All Night
All Dancing Queens (and Kings) will love this year’s theme at Charm City Countdown’s New Year’s Eve party: A Night at Studio 54! Located at the Hilton BWI, let them take you to Funky Town with an open bar, karaoke, plenty of disco dancing, and a huge balloon drop at midnight. A portion of tickets will go to Caring Communities, a nonprofit organization supporting persons with disabilities in Maryland and surrounding states.
Best For: Adults only, 21 and up.
Time: 9 PM to 2 AM
Address: Hilton BWI Hotel, 1739 West Nursery Road, Linthicum Heights, MD 21090
Price: Ranges from $79 for 11 PM entry and no food, to $259 for VIP ticket with reserved seating. See their website for more options and availability.
Have a Ball
The Deale Elks Lodge 2528 will have an evening of enchantment and mystery at their masquerade ball. Start the night off with a surf-and-turf dinner followed by a DJ to get everyone moving. Then at midnight they will have champagne for guests to welcome 2026. This event is open to the public, so it’s for anyone who wants to dance until the ball drops!
Best For: Adults who love an excuse to dress up.
Time: 6 PM to 12:30 AM
Address: Deale Elks Lodge, 6022 Drum Point Rd, Deale, MD, 20751
Price: $65 per person, which includes dinner and champagne toast. Buy your tickets online.
A Literal Dumpster Fire
Cult Classic Brewing on Kent Island bids farewell to 2025 in the best possible way. Bring last year’s resolutions and attempts to manifest things that didn’t actually manifest, and come throw them into a fire. The Kent Island Volunteer Fire Department will light up the Dumpster at 6:30 PM, followed by a party with movies and music until midnight.
Best For: Craft brew-loving adults.
Time: 6 PM to midnight
Address: 1169 Shopping Center Road, Stevensville, MD 21666
Price: Free!
More Places to Party
- American Legion Post 40 New Year’s Eve Party in Glen Burnie is hosting for $10 a ticket.
- Blackwall Barn and Lodge in Gambrills will have a special dinner menu as well as a Barn Bash for $95 per person. Or you can order dinner for a duo to go.
- Say “Viva la Captain’s Daughter” at Captain’s Daughter Bar & Lounge in Annapolis. Tickets are only $25 with food and drinks available to purchase all night long. Plus, there’s opportunities to win prizes.
- Choptank is hosting a New Year’s Eve Gold Party on their rooftop. They’ll have an open bar and a live DJ to dance all night. Tickets begin at $171.61 including fees, and $228.18 including fees for a VIP ticket with early entry.
- Federal House will have a party all day, starting at 11 AM and going until midnight.
- Homestead Gardens’ Severna Park location is hosting an Intention-Seeding Cacao and Sound Bath Ceremony at 1 PM. Tickets start at $55 for early bird pricing before December 24.
- Hyper Kidz in Crofton will have activities all day, including crafts and bubble parties.
- Level a Small Plates Lounge will have a buffet, open bar, and live DJ all at $139 per person.
- Luna Blu will provide a four-course, prix fixe menu at $68 per person.
- Middleton Tavern will have Rickshaw Lizard playing at 10 PM in The Lounge, and Donald playing on piano upstairs. The party continues until 1:30 AM.
- O’Laughlin’s Restaurant will have an ‘80s-themed New Year’s Eve party. Tickets are $100 and include appetizers, dinner, open bar, dessert, and champagne toast.
- Also taking it back to the ‘80s, Rams Head on Stage is hosting the band, The New Romance, for an all-ages show. Tickets start at $60 and doors open at 8 PM.
- Right next door is Rams Head Tavern who will be kicking off the new year with a bang! They will have live music, drink specials, and great vibes. Their party will be going from 6 to 11:30 PM.
- Ruth’s Chris Steak House in both Annapolis and Odenton will offer dinner on New Year’s Eve. They will have their regular menu available, and will be open from 3 PM to 11 PM.
- The band Slugs will play at Dark Horse starting at 9 PM.
- Stan and Joe’s Saloon is having a New Year’s Eve Bash with Sidewalk Soul playing at 9:45 PM. And they’ll have a champagne toast at midnight.
There are countless ways to celebrate the New Year in and around Annapolis. Settle in for a sit-down dinner or grab a few bites while dancing the night away. Sip something bubbly—or keep it cozy with cocoa. Celebrate with your kids or enjoy a night out just for grown-ups. However you choose to ring it in, stay up late, have fun, and fully enjoy that well-earned day off the next morning.
Now, raise your glass and let the countdown begin!
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