New Year's Eve

ART on THE MART celebrates New Year’s Eve in Chicago with a special highlights program from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m., featuring projections all by Chicago-based artists inspired by dance. Artists/Projections include:

Brendan Fernandes. Bring Up the House, 2024
The Seldoms Contemporary Dance Company (Carrie Hanson), Superbloom, 2025
Wills Glasspiegel and Brandon Calhoun, Footnotes, 2021
Yuge Zhou. Love Letters, 2022
Nick Cave. Ba Boom Boom Pa Pop Pop, 2022

This high energy program will join City-planned festivities that will take place along Wacker Drive from Wells Street to Lake Street, with the main stage located at Wacker and Franklin. Artists’ sounds accompany ART on THE MART projections, and on this special evening, the sound will be broadcast from temporary speakers on street level rather than on the Riverwalk.

Starting at 9 p.m. until midnight, ART on THE MART visuals will continue to loop without sound so that all may also enjoy a live stage performance produced by the City of Chicago in celebration of Chicago’s famous musical heritage. THE MART will then transform into the backdrop for the 2026 countdown as fireworks are launched from six bridges along the Riverwalk from Franklin Street to Columbus Drive.

The program will be featured on ABC7 during Chicago’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2026.” The broadcast marks the city’s historic debut as the program’s featured Central Time zone location.

Spend New Year’s Eve with ART on THE MART in person or watch “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2026” airing Wednesday, Dec. 31, live on ABC beginning at 7 p.m. CST.