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Downtown Dallas, Deep Ellum brace for New Year's Eve crowds as celebrations welcome 2026

By
Steve Pickett
Steve Pickett
Steve is an Emmy Award-winning journalist. He has been recognized nationally for his coverage of Public Education and his reports from New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina garnered the "Best News Story" Katie Award from the Press Club of Dallas.
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Steve Pickett

/ CBS Texas

Whether it's a date night, a big party or dinner at home, North Texans are ringing in 2026 with celebrations of every kind across the Dallas-Fort Worth area on New Year's Eve.

From Downtown Dallas to Deep Ellum, streets are already filling with visitors and locals preparing for a night of dining, dancing and midnight toasts, as holiday promoters and businesses anticipate large crowds.

Downtown Dallas has become a convergence point for multiple events, with football fans in town for the Cotton Bowl, visitors attending a large faith convention, and everyday North Texans getting ready to welcome the new year.

"I have to be out, I do not stay home on New Year's Eve," said one Miami visitor spending the holiday in Dallas.

Downtown Dallas and Deep Ellum prepare for New Year's Eve crowds

One of the night's biggest attractions is the transformation of the AT&T Discovery District into what organizers are calling the "Vibe District," a New Year's Eve celebration expected to draw thousands.

"We are anticipating about 2,500 people," said Brandon Moore, who is overseeing the event. "The way we set it up is to feel like a festival. It's going to be an experience, you'll be part of the music set."

Fireworks and large holiday spectacles are also planned across the area, but local businesses are hoping some of that energy spills into restaurants, bars and entertainment venues.

In Deep Ellum, Ruins Restaurant and Bar is preparing for a busy night, offering its full menu as crowds move through one of Dallas' largest entertainment districts.

"New Year's is great. It's a worldwide celebration," said owner Dan Murry. "When it gets to Dallas' time, everyone feels a sense of belonging, not just in the room, but with the rest of the world celebrating the same holiday."

By late evening, Murry expects sidewalks throughout Deep Ellum to be packed, a sign that the tradition of ringing in a new year remains strong.

And if the volume of activity already filling downtown streets and Deep Ellum this afternoon is any indication, Dallas is well on its way to welcoming 2026 in full celebration.

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