Ocean City marks the 33rd anniversary of its popular family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration this year, and as many as 10,000 people are expected to attend. First Night offers more than 70 activities and entertainment programs at 20 different venues throughout town. The lineup includes something to satisfy every taste and age group. Fireworks ring in the new year at midnight.
The fun continues on New Year’s Day with a 5-kilometer run on the Boardwalk and the wildly popular First Plunge in the Atlantic Ocean.
First Night events run from 4 p.m. to midnight Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. The First Day 5K starts at 1 p.m., and the First Plunge begins at 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026.
Admission buttons
Buttons ($25) are good for all events. Children under age 2 are free. Buttons are on sale now.
Online: firstnightocnj.com (through 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025; after that time, purchases must be made in person).
By phone: 609-399-6111.
City Hall Welcome Center, 861 Asbury Ave. (Ninth Street entrance): 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday (excluding Dec. 25); 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday (Dec. 31).
Roy Gillian Welcome Center (Ninth Street causeway): 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.
46th Street Welcome Center (4500 block of West Avenue): 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Ocean City Music Pier Welcome Center (Boardwalk at Moorlyn Terrace): 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31.
Button sales and will-call pickup will be available at the City Hall Welcome Center from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the day of the event (Dec. 31).
Highlights
Headline entertainment at the Ocean City Music Pier will include a tribute to the music of Journey and “Motor City: The Motown Revue.” The return of perennial favorites such as outdoor ice skating, a magic show, a mentalist, the Harlem Wizards and a variety of other performances highlight the lineup.
Ocean City will reunite Elton John and Billy Joel at the Ocean City High School auditorium with separate tribute performances. A drone light show synced to music is scheduled over Carey Stadium.
Full schedule
The full schedule of events, activities and a printable grid is available at firstnightocnj.com/schedule.
Parking and transportation
All municipal parking lots and metered parking spaces will be free. Jitneys will provide free transportation from 5 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. for buttonholders, operating continuously between all venues starting at the Ocean City Transportation Center (Ninth Street and Haven Avenue) and the Seventh Street Parking Lot (Seventh Street and Central Avenue).
The parking lot at Fifth Street and the Boardwalk will be closed to allow for the setup and launch of fireworks.
Fireworks
A fireworks display (weather permitting) will be launched from the beach at Fifth Street at midnight Dec. 31. The display will be best viewed from the beach or Boardwalk in the blocks surrounding Fifth Street.
Rain policy
There will be no rain date for the fireworks display or any other First Night event. Every effort will be made to launch the fireworks even in rain. Any potential cancellation would be made at the discretion of the state fire marshal and based on wind direction and other public safety considerations.
The drone light show is subject to favorable wind and visibility conditions, and show times could change. The First Day 5K Run/Walk and the First Plunge will take place rain or shine.
Download the OCNJ app (search “Ocean City Vacation, NJ”) to receive live notifications and updates. Updates also will be posted to firstnightocnj.com and ocnj.us.
Dining and shopping
Food and drink will be available for purchase at Ocean City High School (Sack O’ Subs), the Ocean City Community Center (cafe) and the Civic Center.
Kickoff
The public is invited to the Ocean City Music Pier at 3:45 p.m. for the official ribbon cutting to open the 33rd anniversary of the festivities.
Other fun activities
Visit the Music Pier to see the First Night ice sculpture. Interactive photo booths will be set up in the Ocean City High School cafeteria, the Community Center and the Civic Center.
History
First Night in Ocean City was modeled after an alcohol-free New Year’s Eve celebration in Boston that marked the nation’s bicentennial in 1976. The first Ocean City celebration in 1992 included 25 entertainment acts at five locations, with admission buttons selling for $8 ($5 before Dec. 26). About 800 buttons were sold.
While other First Night events have faded, Ocean City’s has continued to grow in popularity, becoming an annual tradition for families seeking a safe New Year’s Eve celebration. Today, attendance is capped at 10,000, with admission buttons selling out year after year. The event is sustained through the dedication of volunteers, board members and sponsors.
First Plunge
The 5K is followed by the annual First Dip, in which hundreds of beachgoers take their first swim of the year in the icy Atlantic Ocean. The plunge begins at 2 p.m. Jan. 1 on the beach adjacent to the Music Pier (Eighth Street side).
Participants should register online at ocnj.us/FirstDayPlunge or inside the Music Pier before heading to the beach. Registration is free, but all participants must sign a waiver. “First Day at the Beach” shirts will be available for purchase at the Music Pier.
Shopping
An all-day shopping extravaganza will offer discounts at stores on Asbury Avenue and along the Boardwalk from Fifth to 14th streets.
