The biggest New Year's Eve celebration in Kaunas takes place on Town Hall Square in the Old Town: last year it started at 23:00, and fireworks lit up the sky at midnight. As of early November the city had not yet published the programme for 31 December 2026. This guide covers what is already confirmed for this year, how the night went last year, how to get home after midnight and where to stay so that everything is within walking distance.
At a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Date | Thursday 31 December 2026 |
| Main outdoor party | Town Hall Square (2026 programme not yet published) |
| Last year's start | 23:00, fireworks at 00:00 |
| Concerts on 31 December | Kaunas State Philharmonic 16:00, VMU Great Hall 20:00 |
| Days off | 1 January (Friday) is a public holiday, followed by the weekend |
The party on Town Hall Square
Town Hall Square is where Kaunas sees in the New Year. The city's main Christmas tree stands here, the Christmas market runs next to it, and the Old Town's restaurants and bars line the streets around it. This will be the first New Year on the fully rebuilt square: reconstruction finished in spring 2026, and the paving is now level with no kerbs, which makes moving through a crowd easier.
On 31 December 2025 the open-air party began at 23:00. DJ and producer Jovani played, aerial dancers performed, and fireworks went up at midnight. Kaunas was one of only two large Lithuanian cities to hold fireworks that year; Vilnius, Šiauliai and Panevėžys did not. Whether there will be fireworks this year will be clear once the city publishes its programme, most likely in December.
Concerts and events on 31 December
If you want to start the evening in a concert hall and see in midnight on the square, Kaunas makes that easy: the concerts finish well before midnight and the venues are central.
- Kaunas State Philharmonic (E. Ožeškienės g. 12), 16:00: "Happy New Year!", the finale of the From Christmas to New Year concert series.
- VMU Great Hall (S. Daukanto g. 28), 20:00: the New Year concert "To the Rhythm of the Viennese Waltz".
- Domino Theatre (Vytauto pr. 79), 16:00: premiere of the comedy "Bernvakaris" (in Lithuanian).
In the days before New Year the Philharmonic runs a full festive series: "Oh, Happy Day!" on 26 December, "Christmas Jazz" on the 27th, "A Symphonic Salute to the New Year" on the 28th, "Festive Rhapsody" on the 29th and the Tom Jones tribute "Delilah" on the 30th. The Kaunas Sports Hall stages "The Nutcracker" ballet on 29 December. No major Žalgiris Arena concerts have been announced for the last week of the year; the arena's autumn calendar is in our guide to Žalgiris Arena concerts in November and December.
Restaurants and bars usually announce New Year dinners in November and December, and tables in the Old Town go quickly. If you plan dinner before the party on the square, choose a place a few minutes' walk from Town Hall Square; our picks are in the guide to where to eat and drink in Kaunas Old Town.
Getting back after midnight
On New Year's night the wait for a taxi in Kaunas is long and ride-hailing fares surge. The city adds extra routes every year. On 31 December 2025 part of the Old Town was closed to traffic from 21:00 until 02:00 on 1 January, and after midnight these ran:
- buses 31P (Kaunas Castle – S. Dariaus ir S. Girėno g. – Technikumo g.), 37P (Juozas Grušas Art School – Partizanų g.), 40P (Urmas market – Kaunas Hospital);
- trolleybuses 1P (Islandijos pl. – Vaidoto g.), 5P (Petrašiūnai – Varnių g.), 10P (Kaunas Castle – Kėdainių g.), 11P (Islandijos pl. – Kaniūkai).
The city transport company usually publishes the 2026 routes just before the holiday. If you are coming from Vilnius or another city, the last trains and buses on 31 December leave in the evening, so getting back the same night is usually not possible.
Where to stay on New Year's Eve
The most convenient base is the Old Town or the top of Laisvės alėja: after the fireworks you are a few minutes' walk from bed, with no taxi queue and no night bus. 31 December is one of the busiest nights of the year, so central availability starts to shrink in November.
1 January is a public holiday, and in 2027 it falls on a Friday. That gives a three-day weekend: arrive on 31 December and explore the city at an easy pace on 2–3 January. For ideas, see Kaunas Old Town in 48 hours and Christmas in Kaunas 2026.
Practical tips
- Arrive by 23:30. The square fills fast towards midnight, and the best spots are near the tree and the Town Hall.
- Dress warmly. December nights in Kaunas average about −3 °C, and standing outside for an hour feels colder than walking. The stone paving can be slippery.
- Leave the car. Old Town streets will be closed, and driving after the party is not worth it. If you are arriving by car, see our Old Town parking guide.
- Flying in? How to get from the airport to the centre is in our guide Kaunas Airport to the Old Town.
- Check the programme. The city publishes the official festive programme on kaunas.lt and kaledos.kaunas.lt.
Information on events on 31 December 2026 is based on event calendars published in early November 2026. Everything marked 2025 describes last year and may change. Header photo: Town Hall Square at dusk. Photo: Guillaume Speurt / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the main New Year's Eve party in Kaunas?
The free open-air celebration traditionally takes place on Town Hall Square (Rotušės aikštė) in the Old Town. On 31 December 2025 it started at 23:00 with a DJ, and fireworks went up at midnight. On the same evening there are New Year concerts at the Kaunas State Philharmonic (16:00) and the VMU Great Hall (20:00).
Will there be fireworks in Kaunas on 31 December 2026?
As of early November 2026 the city had not published the programme. Last year fireworks were launched over Town Hall Square at midnight; among Lithuania's big cities only Kaunas and Klaipėda held them.
How do I get back after midnight?
On New Year's night 2025 Kaunas ran extra night buses 31P, 37P and 40P and trolleybuses 1P, 5P, 10P and 11P, and part of the Old Town was closed to traffic from 21:00 to 02:00. The easiest option is to stay in the Old Town and walk.
What day of the week is 1 January 2027?
A Friday. New Year's Eve falls on a Thursday, so 1–3 January makes a three-day weekend, which suits a short trip to Kaunas.
What is the weather like in Kaunas at New Year?
Based on 1991–2020 averages, December days are around 0.7 °C and nights around −3.3 °C; January ranges from −0.8 °C to −6.1 °C. At midnight you will want warm boots and gloves.
