New Year’s Eve in Victoria 2026: Parties, Dinners & Polar Bear Swims

2026 details not all confirmed yet. Most New Year’s Eve events are announced in November and December. Where 2026 details are not confirmed, we show last year’s lineup. We’ll update this page as 2026 details are announced.

Victoria’s New Year’s Eve is more cozy than wild: elegant dinners on the harbour, jazz clubs and dance parties, and then a bracing plunge into the ocean on New Year’s Day. Here’s how to celebrate.

Confirmed for 2026

• New Year’s Eve in Q at the Empress: Thursday, December 31, 2026, at the Fairmont Empress. Book early. See Christmas at the Empress.
• Butchart Gardens: the Magic of Christmas is open December 31, 3:00 to 9:00 PM, a lovely early-evening plan.

New Year’s Eve Parties (2025 Lineup)

• Hotel celebrations: in 2025 the Brentwood Bay Resort hosted a circus-themed party (8:00 PM to 1:00 AM), Westin Bear Mountain held an early dinner-dance, and the Empress hosted a formal black-and-white affair.
• Live music: Hermann’s Jazz Club and The Coda, both on View Street, have hosted New Year’s Eve shows and dances.
• Comedy: Garden City Improv has staged a New Year’s Eve show.
• Galas: the Da Vinci Centre has hosted a New Year’s Eve gala.

Family-Friendly New Year’s Eve

• An afternoon at the Gingerbread Showcase (to January 3) or the last day of the Festival of Trees (December 31).
• Skating. See Ice Skating in Victoria.
• An early dinner, then lights at Butchart Gardens.

Fireworks

Greater Victoria doesn’t have a big city-run New Year’s Eve fireworks show. If fireworks are a must, Tofino has held a New Year’s Eve fireworks show on the beach as part of Tofino Winter Nights.

New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swims

Start 2027 with an icy dip. Recent New Year’s Day swims around Greater Victoria have included:

• Willows Beach, Oak Bay: the Lido Club’s New Year’s Day dip, at noon.
• Sidney: the Polar Bear Swim at Glass Beach, 1:00 to 2:00 PM.
• Cadboro Bay, Saxe Point Park (Esquimalt) and Otter Point (Sooke).

Times are confirmed in late December. Swim at your own risk, go with a buddy and bring warm clothes for afterward.

Getting Home Safely

Book a taxi or ride-share early, and check BC Transit’s holiday schedule. It has offered extended or free New Year’s Eve service in some years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there New Year’s Eve fireworks in Victoria?

There is no large city-run show in Greater Victoria. Tofino has held New Year’s Eve fireworks in recent years.

Where can I do a polar bear swim in Victoria?

Willows Beach in Oak Bay, Glass Beach in Sidney, Cadboro Bay, Saxe Point Park and Otter Point have all hosted New Year’s Day swims.

Part of: Victoria Christmas Guide 2026