Las Vegas welcomed the New Year on December 31, 2024, with spectacular fireworks lighting up the desert sky as the city celebrated its annual tradition of ringing in the new year. With approximately 340,000 visitors expected to attend, the festivities showcased the vibrant energy and spirit for which the city is renowned.
The fireworks display, dubbed "America's Party," took place over eight exhilarating minutes and featured pyrotechnics launched from the rooftops of nine iconic resorts along the famous Las Vegas Strip. This year, the participating resorts included ARIA Resort & Casino, Caesars Palace, Fontainebleau Las Vegas, MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Resorts World Las Vegas, The STRAT Hotel, Casino & Tower, TI – Treasure Island Hotel & Casino, and The Venetian Resort Las Vegas.
CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Steve Hill, remarked on the scale of the gathering, stating, "You’re going to have 340,000 people coming together to celebrate. Nobody’s going to rivalthat.” His enthusiasm reflects not only the anticipation of the immense crowd but also the unique offerings of the New Year's Eve event.
An integral part of the celebration this year was the Sphere, one of Las Vegas’s latest landmarks, which served as the official countdown platform. The Sphere's innovative Exosphere consists of around 1.2 million LED pucks capable of displaying 256 million colors, marking it as the largest screen globally. Describing the countdown experience, Hill emphasized its novel approach, saying, "For the first time, Sphere served as Las Vegas' official countdown to the new year with a custom content show.”
The event not only celebrated the New Year but also the city itself, emphasizing the vibrancy of Las Vegas. The fireworks show can be traced back to 2000, making this the 24th installment of "America’s Party." Planning for this year's show began well over a year ago, with Fireworks by Grucci orchestrated the entire display, which resembled the energy and diversity inherent to Las Vegas. The theme—"Making Vegas Memories"—was symbolized through the colors red, blue, yellow, and silver.
Setting up the elaborate show involves intensive preparation; it took five days to install the pyrotechnics atop the resorts, requiring more than 3,795 manhours of labor dedicated to the installation process. The crew included 71 skilled pyrotechnicians alongside 90 security personnel monitoring the rooftops to maintain safety throughout the crowded event. Such extensive efforts highlight the commitment to delivering both safety and spectacle during the beloved celebration.
Hill discussed the impact of having such spectacular displays, noting the rich tradition intertwined with modern entertainment technologies like the Sphere. Celebrations not only attract visitors to experience the fireworks but also engage them with the environment the city offers, creating lasting memories and exciting experiences.
The ties to global entertainment were evident as the combination of artistic displays, state-of-the-art technology, and the unique Las Vegas environment created one of the most memorable New Year’s Eves to date. The city adorned itself with glitter and gave visitors much to enjoy as they welcomed 2025.
Las Vegas continues to position itself as the premier global destination for New Year’s celebrations, and this year's installment of fireworks is anticipated to create waves of positive enthusiasm. It was truly a fitting end to 2024 and a joyous welcome to all the possibilities of 2025.