The New Year will soon arrive, and for those looking for a good place to celebrate, here’s a variety of events happening in and around Northeast Georgia.
If you have a celebration to add to this list, email news@nowhabersham.com.
Athens-Clarke County
Athens Rock Lobsters Post Game New Year’s Eve Party
Akins Ford Arena
155 Hickory Street, Athens, GA
Ring in the New Year with high-energy hockey as the Athens Rock Lobsters take the ice at Akins Ford Arena on New Year’s Eve. Doors open at 6 p.m., with puck drop set for 7 p.m. as Athens’ hometown team faces off against the Columbus River Dragons. Win or lose, the celebration continues with a post-game New Year’s Eve party inside the arena, featuring a balloon drop and confetti. Tickets range from $28 to $50 and are available through the Classic Center box office.
Cobb County (metro Atlanta)
New Year’s Eve at the Battery
The Battery
800 Battery Avenue, SE, Atlanta, GA
Ring in 2026 at The Battery Atlanta during the New Year’s Eve Bash presented by Xfinity, featuring two celebrations designed for all ages. Festivities begin with Early Innings from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Plaza, offering family-friendly fun, live entertainment by Uncle Jumbo at the Georgia Power Pavilion Stage, inflatable baseballs throughout the evening, and an early New Year’s countdown at 8 p.m. The party continues with Late Innings from 9 p.m. until midnight, highlighted by live music from 12 South Band, a midnight countdown, pyrotechnics, confetti, and aerial fireworks.
Fulton County
Countdown over ATL
Ring in the New Year with Atlanta’s citywide New Year’s Eve Fireworks & Drone Show, lighting up the sky at midnight on December 31. The large-scale countdown celebration replaces the Peach Drop and will feature a coordinated drone display and fireworks. The show will be visible from multiple viewing areas across Downtown and Midtown, giving revelers plenty of vantage points to welcome the New Year in the heart of the city.
Franklin, North Carolina
New Year’s Eve Ruby Drop
Crabtree General Store
41 Lotla Street, Franklin, North Carolina
A favorite downtown tradition, the New Year’s Eve Ruby Drop returns to Franklin for its 12th year, hosted by the Crabtree family with support from the Town of Franklin. Inspired by Brasstown’s Possum Drop, the celebration features two ruby drops, an ‘early bird drop’ at 9 p.m. and another at midnight to welcome 2026. The 800-pound, seven-foot ruby, built by the Crabtree brothers and lit with more than 1,500 red lights, will descend from 60 feet in the air as the crowd counts down to the New Year. The event begins at 8 p.m., featuring live music by Blue Mountain Movement and free carriage rides from 9:30 to 11:30 p.m.
Hall County
New Year’s Eve Bash featuring Fly Betty
The Hall at Bourbon Brothers
312 Jesse Jewell Parkway, Gainesville, GA
Ring in the New Year with live music and a midnight toast at The Hall at Bourbon Brothers. Doors open at 7 p.m., with music starting at 8 p.m. for guests 21 and older as local favorite Fly Betty takes the stage. Presented by Jim Shorkey Auto Group, the New Year’s Eve celebration includes a champagne toast at midnight with every ticket, inviting guests to welcome 2026 together. Ticket information, HERE.
Lanier Islands NYE party: Havana Nights
Lanier Islands Resort
7000 Lanier Islands Parkway, Buford, GA
At Lanier Islands Resort, New Year’s Eve comes with options, designed to suit different rhythms of celebration. Families can head to Game Changer for a lively, kid-friendly evening featuring arcade games, a DJ, dancing, face painting, and an early countdown capped with a sparkling cider toast at 7 p.m.
Adults looking for a later night can choose from the resort’s 21+ celebrations, including a Havana Nights–themed party in the Grand Ballroom. Live music from Accent sets the tone for dancing, paired with a cocktail reception, an all-you-can-eat buffet, and a midnight champagne toast. Some packages include overnight accommodations, New Year’s Day breakfast, and late checkout, turning the evening into a full stay rather than a single event.
New Year’s Eve at Margaritaville at Lanier Islands
Margaritaville Hotel
7650 Lanier Islands Parkway, Buford, GA
Celebrate the start of 2026 at Margaritaville at Lanier Islands, where family, friends, and lakeside magic come together for a festive New Year’s Eve. The celebration features live entertainment, an all-you-can-eat appetizer bar, and a midnight fireworks show, offering something for everyone to enjoy. Guests should note that vehicles entering Lanier Islands Resort are subject to a $20 resort parking fee, regardless of the length of stay. Complimentary parking is available for season pass holders who present their pass. After 5 p.m., a Magical Nights of Lights ticket is required for resort entry.
Towns County
New Year Fireworks
Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds
1311 Music Hall Road, Hiawassee, GA
Ring in the New Year early with a New Year Fireworks celebration at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds. The free, family-friendly event takes place on Wednesday, December 31, with the parking lot and food trucks opening at 6 p.m. Fireworks will light up the sky at 8 p.m., offering a festive way to help usher in 2026 with a bang.
New Year’s Eve Gala
Brasstown Valley Resort
6321 US-76, Young Harris, GA
Celebrate the arrival of 2026 at the New Year’s Eve Gala at Brasstown Valley Resort, featuring a festive luau theme and an elegant night of celebration. The evening includes a gourmet dinner buffet, an open bar, dancing, and a balloon drop at midnight to ring in the New Year. Guests can turn the celebration into a getaway with the New Year’s Eve Guest Package, which includes overnight accommodations and a breakfast buffet to start 2026. The gala runs from 7:30 p.m. on December 31, 2025, until 12:30 a.m. on January 1, 2026. Reservations are required.
Union County
Blairsville: The Clock Strikes Gatsby
Living Water Winery & Vineyard
291 Living Water Lane, Blairesville, GA
At Living Water Winery & Vineyard, New Year’s Eve turns back the clock with a 1920s–themed celebration that leans into glamor and fun. The Clock Strikes Gatsby runs from 7 p.m. on December 31 until 12:30 a.m., inviting guests to step into a casino-style evening complete with gaming tables, a gourmet charcuterie spread, raffle giveaways, and a midnight champagne toast. The event encourages full period dress, from flapper dresses to pinstripes, pairing theatrical style with a setting that already lends itself to occasion. For those looking to mark the arrival of 2026 with a sense of spectacle and structure, the evening offers a clear beginning, a lively middle, and a well-timed countdown at midnight.
White County
Dropping of the Edelweiss
Helen Festhalle
1074 Edelweiss Strasse, Helen, GA
Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Alpine style at the Dropping of the Edelweiss at the Helen Festhalle in Helen. The family-friendly event features live music, dancing, hors d’oeuvres, and a cash bar, all leading up to the Edelweiss drop at midnight to welcome 2026. Admission is $30 for adults, $15 for children ages 6 to 16, and free for children under 6. Tickets will be sold at the door the evening of the event, with no advance ticket sales available.
