New Year’s Eve celebrations in Old Sacramento will include early fireworks amid heightened security

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Crowds are expected to gather in Old Sacramento Wednesday evening for the “Countdown on the Cobblestones” New Year’s celebration, with organizers moving forward despite the rainy weather.

Sacramento police said they are increasing patrols in and around Old Sacramento as thousands of people are expected to attend the festivities.

Even in humid conditions, teams spent the day preparing the area, preparing for the celebration and decorating a tree to ring in 2026. Some visitors chose to arrive early to enjoy the atmosphere before the evening crowds arrived.

Rebecca Shoemaker, who came from Reno with her partner, said they wanted to experience Old Sacramento together despite the rain.

“I love Old Town. He’s never been here before, so experience something new with each other,” Shoemaker said.

Shoemaker said the weather also influenced how they planned to spend the night.

“We decided to take advantage of it this morning, and tonight we’ll probably sit by the fireplace and have a little quiet time inside,” she said.

For those planning to attend the celebration later in the evening, Sacramento Police say safety is a top priority, especially given New Year’s Eve incidents in the area.

“There’s going to be a lot of pedestrian and vehicle traffic throughout downtown, throughout Old Sacramento,” said Allison Smith, public information officer for the Sacramento Police Department. “So, most importantly, if you can plan ahead, plan a carpool, never drive drunk and remember to be patient.”

Local businesses say the additional police presence is welcome. Last Stop Saloon owner Scott Manley said New Year’s Eve is usually one of the busiest nights of the year.

“This will be our third New Year’s Eve, and yeah, it’s awesome that they have fireworks at 9 p.m. It gets people out early. They stay late. So yeah, we love it,” Manley said.

This year’s celebration will not last until midnight. The official countdown and fireworks display is scheduled for 9 p.m., with organizers hoping the earlier time will create a more family-friendly environment.

Bob and Joanna Huffman, visiting from Manteca, said they were happy to celebrate after a difficult year.

“We had a bit of a rough year this year, and we just thought we needed to step away and embrace the new year,” Joanna Huffman said.

Organizers say the fireworks show will take place rain or shine, and events in Old Sacramento are expected to end around 10 p.m.

More information on road closures and parking can be found here.

CHP kicks off New Year’s enforcement period with additional patrols