Biloxi rang in 2026 with a Hard Rock masquerade, blues at Ground Zero and balloon drops at Margaritaville. Home fireworks are legal from 6 p.m. Dec. 31.

Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Venues had not announced their plans for Dec. 31, 2026, as of Oct. 12, so this page lists what each venue held to ring in 2026, from the City of Biloxi’s January 2026 community calendar (PDF) and the venues’ own event pages. It will be refreshed as 2026 events are posted.

New Year’s Eve is Thursday, Dec. 31, 2026, and New Year’s Day falls on a Friday. Biloxi has no city-run countdown or fireworks show. The night belongs to the casino stages, the blues club on Howard Avenue and the beachfront resorts, with countdowns in Ocean Springs and Long Beach for those willing to drive.

Who to call

  • Police non-emergency (illegal fireworks, noise): 228-435-6100
  • Emergencies: 911
  • Coast Transit Authority (bus service): coasttransit.com
  • Traffic and weather text alerts: text BILOXI to 99411

How Biloxi rang in 2026

Event (Dec. 31, 2025) Time Where
Ground Zero NYE party with Ra’Shad The Blues Kid and The Chitlins 8:30 p.m. Ground Zero Blues Club, 814 Howard Ave.
Hard Rock Live New Year’s Eve Masquerade 9 p.m., ages 21 and older Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Margaritaville Resort New Year’s Eve Party Balloon drops at 7 p.m. (family), 9 p.m. and midnight Margaritaville Resort Biloxi

The Hard Rock masquerade had live entertainment, dancing and several DJs. Costumes were encouraged, but the casino did not allow full masks or face coverings. Ground Zero is the downtown blues club; its lineup is posted at groundzerobiloxi.com. Margaritaville split the night into three countdowns so families could see a balloon drop before bedtime.

Each venue sells its own tickets; check the venue’s own page before you go.

Nearby countdowns

On Dec. 31, 2025:

  • Ocean Springs, about 9 miles east: a New Year’s Eve celebration and ball drop downtown from 8 p.m.
  • Long Beach, about 14 miles west: music from 9 p.m. and a ball drop at midnight on Jeff Davis Avenue, with road closures from 7:30 p.m.
  • Gulfport: a Countdown to Noon for children at Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, and the Harbor Lights Winter Festival at Jones Park, which runs Nov. 27, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027.

Fireworks rules

City ordinance allows residents to shoot fireworks from 6 p.m. Dec. 31 to 1 p.m. Jan. 1, as well as on July 4 and the first three days of Tet with a fire department permit, the city says. Parts of the city are a fireworks-free zone at all times; see the fireworks-free zone map. Report illegal fireworks to police at 228-435-6100.

Getting home

Beach Boulevard (U.S. 90) links the casinos, Margaritaville and downtown. Plan a ride home before you go out; the Coast Transit Authority posts its holiday bus schedule on its website.

What is open and closed

  • City offices: for the 2024 holidays the city closed all non-emergency offices on New Year’s Day. Expect the same on Friday, Jan. 1, 2027.
  • Schools: Biloxi Public Schools’ Christmas break runs Dec. 17-31, Jan. 1 is a holiday, and classes resume Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2027, on the district calendar (PDF).
  • Trash: in the 2025 holiday season the Harrison County Utility Authority ran no routes on New Year’s Day; Thursday routes ran Friday and Friday routes ran Saturday. See our trash guide.

What this means for you

  • No city fireworks show: watch for venue announcements in December.
  • Home fireworks: legal from 6 p.m. Dec. 31 to 1 p.m. Jan. 1, outside the fireworks-free zone.
  • Next up: in 2026 the Biloxi Twelfth Night Celebration opened Carnival season at City Hall on Jan. 5. Mardi Gras is Feb. 9, 2027.

More: holiday lights and Christmas events and live music and nightlife in Biloxi.

Frequently asked questions

What is there to do in Biloxi on New Year’s Eve?

For New Year’s Eve 2025, Hard Rock Live held a masquerade at 9 p.m. for ages 21 and older, Ground Zero Blues Club had a party from 8:30 p.m., and Margaritaville Resort had balloon drops at 7 p.m., 9 p.m. and midnight. The 2026 lineups had not been announced as of Oct. 12.

Can you shoot fireworks in Biloxi on New Year’s Eve?

Yes, from 6 p.m. Dec. 31 to 1 p.m. Jan. 1, under city ordinance, except in the city’s fireworks-free zone. Report illegal fireworks to police at 228-435-6100.

Is there a family-friendly New Year’s Eve event near Biloxi?

In 2025 Margaritaville Resort Biloxi held a family-friendly balloon drop at 7 p.m., and Lynn Meadows Discovery Center in Gulfport held a Countdown to Noon for children.

Is trash picked up on New Year’s Day in Biloxi?

In the 2025 holiday season the Harrison County Utility Authority ran no routes on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day; Thursday routes ran Friday and Friday routes ran Saturday. New Year’s Day 2027 is a Friday.