Mix, mingle and bid a memorable farewell to 2025 with these Cape Cod countdowns that invite you to toast friends, family and new beginnings close to home. From fireworks displays and dance parties to first day hikes and polar plunges, the Cape is an ultimate New Year’s destination.

First Night Chatham
Start a new tradition at the family-friendly, alcohol-free First Night Chatham (December 31) and join a town-wide, outdoor winter celebration to remember, featuring a day of ice sculptures, giant Legos, a bubble wrap stomp, a noise parade, and early fireworks. Food trucks, entertainment and First Night merch round out the fun!

First Light Provincetown  
Light up your day or night (and bicycle) at Provincetown’s First Light, a multi- day New Year's celebration (December 31-January 4) packed with local vendors, holiday markets, live entertainment, the community-loved Light Bright Bike Ride and Provincetown’s first-ever drone show to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Take the New Year’s Day Polar Bear Plunge with a pack of fellow courageous, costumed plungers, then warm up with chili and cocktails at Harbor Lounge. See the calendar for full event details.

Night Out
Step out in style at the Pelham House NYE Rooftop Bash where you can enjoy festive specials, live music and a champagne toast overlooking the water. The next morning, start the year off right with Pelham's New Year’s Day Rooftop Brunch, served from 10am–3 pm with delicious food and sweeping ocean views.

Staying local has never been more fun than at Mashpee Commons, where you can stroll around the festively decorated shops before toasting the holiday at the Cape’s crown jewel European restaurants: Siena, Bleu and Estia Taverna. Or enjoy a casual night with friends at Lanes Bowl & Bistro or Bobby Byrne's.

Overnight Getaway   
Kick off 2026 at a fully glam New Year’s Eve Celebration at the Chatham Bars Inn. This Great Gatsby–style bash includes an open well bar, mocktails, and a stations-style dinner featuring oysters, chilled lobster, artisan cheeses, beef strip loin and lobster flambé. The celebration includes live casino tables, a champagne toast, fireworks, a dance party, and late-night snacks and desserts. Choose individual tickets or a special package with two nights’ accommodations and two party tickets.

After enjoying a winter sunset on their private ocean beach, ring in the New Year at the Sea Crest Beach Hotel in North Falmouth. Enjoy a decadent buffet, grand dessert display, and dancing to live music before a midnight champagne toast. The hotel’s New Year’s Eve Celebration package includes two tickets to the New Year’s Eve dinner and overnight accommodations

Kick off the New Year with big laughs from national touring comedian Kyle Crawford at Margaritaville Resort in Hyannis! Your ticket includes access to a delicious buffet and appetizers served throughout the evening—perfect for fueling up before hitting the dance floor with Cape Tunes DJs. 

Or celebrate in style with a two-night New Year’s Eve package at the Bayside Resort in Yarmouth; watch the ball drop at Bayside's Moby Dick Pub, sleep late, and enjoy family-friendly beach firepits with marshmallow roasting and ice cream socials. Champagne and party favors at check in!

Polar Plunges
What’s a little arctic water when you’re with friends and neighbors? Join the Friends of Yarmouth Council on Aging for the annual Polar Plunge at noon on New Year’s Day, and welcome 2026 from the Nantucket Sound at Bass River (Smugglers) Beach in Yarmouth. Hot cocoa and baked goods available for the brave at this free, community give back event!
 
You can also register for the Monument Beach Polar Plunge in Bourne and get freezin' for a reason at the annual swim that benefits the Bourne Food Pantry. Mashpee Recreation and Naukabout Brewery will host the "Freeze the Day' Polar Plunge to benefit the Kiwanis club of Mashpee at 11 am at Mashpee Wakeby Pond.

The Giants in Sandwich
Looking for a fun and memorable family outing to celebrate the season? Let your community spirit shine as you take a time-honored drive through the Cape’s oldest town to spot the colossal, twinkling figures known as The “Giants”, created by local Cape artist, Michael Magyar. What started out as one lit-up Giant in 1996 to represent his East Sandwich Glass Studio has become a growing holiday tradition with dozens of sculptures displayed along Route 6A in Sandwich. Local businesses have carried on the tradition and expanded to backroads and other towns down Cape bringing the total to 60 Giants. Fill a thermos with hot chocolate, pile into the car and see how many you can spot.

First Day Hikes Cape Cod
If wellness and a more active lifestyle have made your list of New Year’s resolutions this year, mark your calendar for the Cape’s First Day Hikes Cape Cod on January 1, 2026. This collaborative, regional celebration, inspired by state parks across the nation and spearheaded by the Barnstable Land Trust, features free outdoor events and hikes throughout over a dozen different Cape Cod communities, including sunrise salutes, history talks, family activities and more. See the full schedule of events here!