Millions around the world are welcoming the New Year 2025 in massive celebrations that started at the small Pacific island nations of Tonga, Samoa and Kiribati/Christmas Island.
As the clock struck midnight and the calendar turned to 2025, the skies around the globe erupted in dazzling explosions of color, light, and sound.
More than one million people have watched a spectacular fireworks display over Sydney Harbour Bridge to see in the new year.
With clear skies and warm temperatures, the famous celebrations got into full swing as the clocks hit midnight in Australia’s two most populated states of New South Wales and Victoria.
Earlier New Zealand celebrated the start of the New Year.
Japan and South Korea were the latest countries to ring in the new year, marking the start of 2025 there. In Japan, crowds have gathered at Tokyo’s Tokudai-ji temple to take part in the ringing of bells to usher in the new year.
South Korea’s New Year celebrations will be muted this year after 179 people died when a Jeju Air Boeing 737 crash landed on 29 December. In Seoul, its annual bell-ringing show occurred without performances.
Crowds gathered in record numbers to witness these mesmerizing spectacles, with millions more tuning in from home to watch the skies light up in a kaleidoscope of patterns. Each display carried its unique flair, reflecting local traditions while embracing the universal joy of a new beginning.
New Year’s Eve: Athens to Ring in 2025
Athens is set to usher in 2025 with an unforgettable celebration at Syntagma Square on New Year’s Eve, Tuesday, December 31.
This year, the Municipality of Athens will present an exceptional musical journey and theatrical event titled “Rooftop of Time”, created by renowned Greek rock musician and singer, Foivos Delivorias.
Athens Mayor Haris Doukas will join the artists on stage to count down the final moments of 2024. For the first time, the city will greet the new year with silent fireworks, while hundreds of drones will illuminate the sky above Syntagma Square, offering a mesmerizing performance to honor Athens, its rich heritage, and the arrival of 2025.
The evening’s festivities will begin at 10 pm with a musical performance by the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Municipality of Athens, providing the perfect introduction to the celebrations.
The entire event will be streamed live on the official Facebook page of the Municipality of Athens and its YouTube channel, ensuring that everyone can partake in this spectacular celebration.
London and NYC in anticipation of 2025
London celebrations are still planned to go ahead despite the atrocious weather hitting the British Isles. The fireworks will light up the sky against the backdrop of the London Eye, the iconic Ferris wheel opposite Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.
The predicted strong winds led to the cancellation of displays heralding the arrival of 2025 in places including Blackpool, Newcastle’s quayside, the Isle of Wight and Ripon, North Yorkshire, joining the already canceled Hogmanay festival in Edinburgh.
New York City is preparing for the annual New Year’s Eve ball drop with extra security. This year’s celebration will include musical performances by TLC, Jonas Brothers, Rita Ora, and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
Despite the forecast of rain and chilly weather, the celebrations are expected to attract large crowds, covering multiple blocks around the city’s main tourism and theatre district.
The New York Police Department is preparing for a million people to descend on Times Square, with a security perimeter in place and shoulder-to-shoulder crowds already forming the day before. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said there are no credible threats at this time.
“There are no specific credible threats to the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration,” she said. “However, we have been operating in a heightened threat environment since October 7, and we remain vigilant.”
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