Luke Browning, left, and Brittany Browning of Kentucky share a kiss as fireworks explode over the Plaza in Downtown Las Vegas on New Years Eve Monday Jan. 1, 2024.
Published Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023 | 6:54 p.m.
Updated Monday, Jan. 1, 2024 | 1:33 a.m.
As Las Vegas Boulevard started to fill with visitors on New Year’s Eve, the Soetanto family found themselves near a guardrail in front of the Bellagio fountains.
There were still two hours until 2024 would arrive, but the family wasn’t going to budge. It wound up being one of the best views on the Strip to watch the fireworks display bring in the new year.
As the fireworks erupted into the Las Vegas Strip skyline for eight minutes in a dramatic show, the Soetantos gazed in awe while taking photos on their phones. The images of the family celebrating had noted backdrops: the glowing fountain show at Bellagio, and at nearby Paris Las Vegas with the hot air balloon and Eiffel Tower.
The Soetantos traveled from Indonesia to Las Vegas to take part in festivities, joining about 400,000 visitors to the Strip and downtown Las Vegas to participate in the party.
After the countdown to 2024, visitors exchanged hugs and kisses, shouted “Happy New Year” and blew on horns in joyous celebration. Many had been walking on the Strip for hours following the closing of roads about 7 p.m. to vehicle traffic.
Metro Police, which dispatched more than 1,000 officers to the Strip and downtown, didn’t report any major incidents during the celebration. They should release the incident and arrest tallies, for offenses such as DUI, later today.
Officials say the street will be reopened by 6 a.m., after 10 to 12 tons of trash are collected by more than 20 street sweepers and 60 workers.
We had reporters stationed throughout town all evening. Here’s what we saw:
A couple share a moment as fireworks explode over the Plaza in Downtown Las Vegas on New Years Eve Monday Jan. 1, 2024.
Plaza adds to the party with fireworks
The Strip wasn’t the lone place where fireworks dotted the sky.
The Plaza in downtown again had a display as part of its festivities, adding an exclamation point to the celebration on Fremont Street Experience. Some visitors watched the show from the Plaza’s new Carousel Bar, which is located under the property’s iconic dome.
“Having our regular customers that come every year and get to experience the only fireworks show in downtown Las Vegas is something we’re very proud of because we’ve been doing it now for a few years,” Plaza CEO Jonathan Jossel told the Sun.
The fireworks coming from the Plaza were visible from many vantage points in downtown.
“Vegas is great because you’ve got so many options,” Jossel said. “And especially here in downtown you can go from all the different casinos, you can go to Fremont Street and listen to many different bands.”
Mike Waller of Los Angeles poses for a photo at the Fremont Street Experience in Downtown Las Vegas on New Years Eve Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023.
Fremont Street again delivers on fun
Tianna McHenry and Nichole Shivers are two of the roughly 400,000 visitors to Las Vegas for the New Year’s Eve festivities.
And the friends from Cleveland appear to be enjoying themselves at the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas.
They are wearing extra tall top hats bearing the words “Happy New Year” and downing pizza slices as live music blares in the background. Officials closed Fremont Street Experience at 5 p.m. for the ticketed event — it’s $55 to get in.
They traveled here to also celebrate McHenry’s 27th birthday, and are eager for the adventures ahead in 2024 — Shivers is looking forward to personal growth; McHenry to making investments.
The party in downtown, where crowds are expected to reach 50,000, includes performances from Third Eye Blind, Young MC, Tone Loc, Color Me Badd, and others.
Mike Waller, a Los Angeles resident, is hard to miss: He’s added lights to his New Year’s hat, and paired it with light-up sunglasses and a disco ball necklace.
After all, this isn’t Waller’s first rodeo. “We come out here every year,” he says. “We love the Fremont Experience.”
Newlyweds Jason Leono and Sebastian saw a video on social media of past New Year’s Eve celebrations at Fremont Street Experience and wanted to be part of the action.
It hasn’t disappointed, especially the lights coming from Viva Vision — the linear video screen at 1,500 feet long, 90 feet wide and suspended 90 feet above. It’s a great way to start the new year for the couple from San Jose, Calif.
“So, previously, we talked about the Strip, you know but we looked at the YouTube video and we saw these kinds of lights for New Year’s Eve, so that’s why we came here,” Leono said.
Visitors near the Bellagio on New Year's Eve, Dec. 31, 2023.
Picking Vegas over New York
Fred and Nancy Hrynkiw are ending the year of their 50th anniversary the best way they knew how: Ringing in the new year in Las Vegas.
“I bet we’ve been to Vegas 14 or 15 times, but this is the first year we have come for New Year’s,” Fred Hrynkiw said. “(It’s) our 50th year and so we’ve been doing a bucket list.”
The Pittsburgh couple was initially thinking of celebrating New Year’s Eve in New York City — home to the famous Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve show — but felt the city was too dirty.
Tonight, with beanies blinking like fireworks, the couple is strolling down the boulevard looking to take some new memories into 2024.
“That’s what we love about Vegas is there’s always something new to do,” Fred Hrynkiw said.
Miranda and Hans Lauwen are dressed in eccentric orange outfits with light-up neckties, dancing and jamming with headphones at a silent disco.
This is their fifth time celebrating New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas, and their second time opting for the Fremont Street Experience instead of the Strip.
They made the switch to a Vegas celebration because New York was too crowded.
“When you celebrate New Year’s Eve in the Netherlands, there’s a little bit of fireworks and that’s it,” Hans says. “You spend it with family, you eat something, you drink something and after an hour and a half then it’s finished and you’re lying in bed. And out here it’s completely the best party you have.”
Getting around
Need a ride during the New Year’s festivities? Try these options:
The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada is offering free bus rides on all fixed routes from 6 p.m. Sunday through 9 a.m. Monday. Several additional routes will run on a 24-hour schedule or have extended hours, said officials.
Riders can board any bus — regardless of route — without purchasing a pass or presenting fare.
On the Strip, you can travel using the Las Vegas Monorail. It will operate from 7 a.m. New Year’s Eve to 3 a.m. on New Year’s Day. A ticket for a single ride is $5; locals are $1. You can buy tickets here.
Lyft and Uber will also be available, but expect higher ride rates later into the night.
Plan to pack some walking shoes, as transportation access will be limited on the Strip and Fremont Street because of road closures.
Road closures
The following roads will be temporarily closed near the Las Vegas Strip for the New Year's Eve festivities, according to Metro Police.
Night of entertainment
There's no shortage of entertainment on the Strip and beyond. Post Malone and the Chainsmokers are performing tonight. And there's plenty more.
