Ring in 2021 With These Global Virtual New Year’s Eve Celebrations

Stuck at home for New Year’s Eve this year? With so many people staying home due to the coronavirus pandemic, New Year’s Eve celebrations from around the world will move to a virtual platform, which means you can participate in ringing in 2021 from multiple destinations across the globe.

From New York City’s famous ball drop to Brazil’s spectacular beachside fireworks, these virtual New Year’s Eve festivities will have you bidding farewell to 2020 in style.

According to Travel+Leisure, Hong Kong’s festivities will be 100 percent virtual with a live countdown beginning at 11 p.m local time on December 31. The Hong Kong Tourist Board announced the city will welcome 2021 with a “two-minute video featuring Hong Kong landmarks as well as festive greetings sending blessings to the world.”

2020 is coming to a close! We will have a live-streamed countdown here on 31 December to ring in the New Year virtually with you all. Tune in from the comfort of your home online as we send New Year’s greetings from Hong Kong! https://t.co/REHi6Jys6A pic.twitter.com/FpHc4ZVAnV

— Hong Kong (@discoverhk) December 29, 2020

“The COVID-19 pandemic is not going to stop us from sharing festive cheers with the rest of the world, so we have created an innovative new online format for the Hong Kong New Year Countdown Celebrations this year that enables people to watch from their homes while practicing social distancing for their safety,” Bill Flora, the USA director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, told Travel+Leisure. “This new livestream format is designed to ensure people anywhere around the world can join this annual event and also sends a positive message to the world that Hong Kong’s lively and welcoming spirit… remains strong.”

Viewers can watch the festivities via the tourism board’s website, Facebook page, or YouTube page.

This year’s New York City celebrations will look a little different. For one there won’t be any massive crowds gathering to watch the ball drop in Times Square, but there will still be entertainment and the return of Ryan Seacrest who will host the event once again.

It's going to be a #RockinEve with host @RyanSeacrest, LIVE Thursday at 8|7c on ABC! @NYRE pic.twitter.com/gZDNKrOqfq

— ABC (@ABCNetwork) December 27, 2020

This year’s celebrations will include a special performance from the one and only Jennifer Lopez, along with performances from Brandy, Miley Cyrus, Megan Thee Stallion, Nelly, Billy Porter, Cyndi Lauper and Ella Mai.

Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest will air on ABC.

Normally Brazil’s famous Copacabana Beach is full of people partying in the New Year – and although this year’s in-person event has been canceled the iconic beachfront firework show will still go on.

⚡️ “LIVESTREAM ~ New Year's Eve fireworks Rio de Janeiro 2021, LIVE”https://t.co/pd9YxPGpZs

— Live Events News (@liveeventnNews6) December 23, 2020

Brazil will ring in 2021 with a smaller-than-usual light show and special performances. They also plan to have a moment of silence to honor victims of COVID-19 around the world.

The countdown for the New Year's Concert 2021 with @Vienna_Phil and Riccardo Muti is on!

Warm-up for the magical concert with our Best of New Year’s Concert playlist featuring beautiful polkas and waltzes from the many years of past concerts!

Enjoy: https://t.co/KERpQ3eBms pic.twitter.com/csStdoweG5

— Sony Classical (@sony_classical) December 27, 2020

If classical music performed by one of the best orchestras in the world sounds like the perfect way to say goodbye to 2020, the city of Vienna in Austria has you covered! Although Viennese people normally get to celebrate New Year’s Eve with a traditional Silvesterpfad party, this year the city has had to cancel their normal festivities. Instead, viewers from around the world will be treated to a live broadcast of the Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s concert on January 1. You can tune in by visiting https://www.wienerphilharmoniker.at/en/newyearsconcert

Thanks to New Zealand’s zealous approach at keeping the coronavirus pandemic at bay, Auckland residents will still get to enjoy ringing in 2021 in-person with a spectacular firework show. Viewers from around the world will also be able to tune in virtually, getting the chance to say good riddance to 2020 early!

“Thanks to the incredible efforts of all New Zealanders to eliminate COVID-19, we’re in the fortunate position of being able to live our lives relatively normally. People can go to work and school, gather with friends, and our economy is one of the most open in the world,” Auckland’s Mayor Phil Goff said in a statement. “That’s worth celebrating, and this year’s spectacular display will be a perfect opportunity for Aucklanders to do that.”

You can tune in to watch the festivities by clicking here – but remember, New Zealand is 18 hours ahead of New York!