Photo obtained from Choose Chicago.

By Steven Dahlman

Dec. 8, 2025 – America’s most-watched New Year’s celebration will include live broadcasts from the Chicago Riverwalk this year.

“Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2026” will air live on ABC starting at 7:00 p.m. on December 31.

“Chicago will bring the city’s energy and New Year’s festivities directly into homes across the nation,” read the announcement from the mayor’s office on December 2.

The Chicago broadcast, with performances starting at 9:00 p.m., will be along the Chicago Riverwalk between Wells Street on the main branch and Lake Street on the south branch. The main stage will be located near Wacker & Franklin.

(Left) Area near Merchandise Mart between Franklin Street Bridge and Lake Street.

Seacrest co-hosted “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” with Clark starting in 2005. He became the sole host after Clark died in 2012. Seacrest will continue hosting the broadcast from Times Square in New York.

Chance the Rapper will host the broadcast from Chicago. The Chicago native, who lives in Lake County, will also perform and lead the countdown to midnight, followed by fireworks launched from bridges along the Riverwalk.

(Right) Chance the Rapper in 2017. Photo by Anthony Quintano (Wikimedia Commons).

Other Chicago artists performing during the broadcast include blues singer Shemekia Copeland and musician/poet/spoken word artist J. Ivy. Confirmed locations also include Las Vegas and Puerto Rico.