Chicago will host the first-ever ‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve’ countdown to midnight

America’s most iconic New Year’s Eve countdown show “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” will broadcast live from Chicago with its own Central Time countdown this year, ABC announced on Monday.

It’s the first time in the show’s 55-year history that Chicago will have its own version. Millions are expected to tune in to the countdown.

A new host and performers will be “announced soon,” according to a press release that credited Choose Chicago, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office and Dick Clark Productions for the event.

“We look forward to bringing viewers a spectacular fireworks display centered on the iconic bridges that cross the Chicago River and cascade over the city’s world-class architecture,” said John Idler, general manager and president of WLS-TV Chicago, the local ABC-owned TV station, in a statement.

The opportunity is perfect for showcasing the city’s “beauty and dynamism,” said Johnson, who joined ABC7 on Monday to talk about the program.

The 2025 edition of the show, broadcast from New York City, drew 29 million viewers nationwide at the stroke of midnight.

This year’s programming includes the first Spanish-language edition of “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” to be broadcast from Puerto Rico for viewers in the Atlantic Standard Time zone.

“Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2026” begins at 7 p.m. Dec. 31 on ABC.

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