Greater Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Dec. 18, 2025) – Greater Fort Lauderdale will welcome 2026 with a full day of New Year's Eve experiences, featuring family-friendly programming during the day and a waterfront nightlife celebration that will be featured live on CNN New Year's Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen.

Families can begin the celebration at the Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS), which will host a New Year's Eve event from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The daytime celebration will include music, dance-offs, hands-on science experiments and interactive activities. Guests can count down to the Museum's beach ball drop at noon and capture memories at the New Year's gallery wall, allowing families to celebrate together earlier in the day.

As the sun sets, the celebration shifts to Greater Fort Lauderdale's waterways. Visit Lauderdale will partner with CNN for a live, three-minute segment broadcast from the newly opened Pier Sixty-Six. The segment will air live aboard a Sanlorenzo, the world-renowned Italian yacht manufacturer showcasing Greater Fort Lauderdale's signature water culture, waterfront lifestyle, and welcoming community spirit — all key themes of the destination's new global brand campaign.

"There's no better way to ring in the new year than by sharing Greater Fort Lauderdale's energy, diversity, and joy with a global audience," said Stacy Ritter, president and CEO of Visit Lauderdale. "Our partnership with CNN allows us to highlight the destination's distinctive water culture and introduce the world to our bold new campaign.”

To extend the national spotlight, Visit Lauderdale will also launch out-of-home advertising on digital billboards in New York City's Times Square, located outside CNN's studio, featuring dynamic visuals from the new campaign. Advertising spots will air during the New Year's Eve telecast and continue in the weeks following the broadcast, amplifying the destination's visibility to millions of viewers around the world.

The live feature will highlight the energy of Greater Fort Lauderdale after dark, with stunning marina views, a festive New Year's Eve atmosphere, and appearances by local personalities joining the celebration.

For more information about Visit Lauderdale and the Never Lose Your Splash campaign, visit VisitLauderdale.com.

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MEDIA NOTE: Hi-res images are available here. Photo Credit: Visit Lauderdale.

About Greater Fort Lauderdale

With 24 miles of golden sand beaches and 300+ miles of navigable waterways, Greater Fort Lauderdale is known as the Venice of America and the Yachting Capital of the World. The area boasts an average year-round temperature of 77˚F, has 3,000+ hours of annual sunshine, and is home to 31 unique municipalities, including eight distinct beach communities. Residents hailing from 170 countries, speaking 147 languages, call this diverse destination home. And there's good reason, including the area's unwavering commitment to accessibility and inclusion. Upon arrival at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), a five-minute drive will get you to the beach, Port Everglades, the newly expanded Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center, and a bustling downtown. Experience 4,000+ eateries, a thriving arts and culture scene, craft breweries, stunning rooftop bars, fishing, diving, and the unmatched beauty of the Florida Everglades. From world-class shopping, to boating, yachts and superyachts all moored at the area's many marinas, it's no wonder Greater Fort Lauderdale is one of the most desirable places to stay, work and play. The destination has more than 38,000 unique lodging accommodations at a variety of hotels, luxury spa resorts, and beautifully appointed, boutique properties, all reflecting the area's cosmopolitan vibe. 

About Visit Lauderdale

Visit Lauderdale is the official destination marketing organization for Greater Fort Lauderdale and serves as the tourism department for Broward County, Florida. Visit Lauderdale promotes the area's 31 municipalities to a global audience of leisure and business travelers as the ideal place for Everyone Under the Sun in recognition of the area's diverse and welcoming vibe, and books conventions into the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center and area hotels and resorts. Find more information at visitlauderdale.com and follow @VisitLauderdale on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

About Pier Sixty-Six

One of South Florida's most iconic properties, Pier Sixty-Six has been transformed by Tavistock Development Company as the social harbor of Fort Lauderdale. Set on 32 waterfront acres along the Intracoastal Waterway, Pier Sixty-Six is now open, including a renovated world-class resort with over 325 guest rooms, suites, and residences; 12 dining destinations including Florida's legendary rotating cocktail lounge, Pier Top, perched on the 17th floor of the property's spire-crowned tower; Zenova Spa & Wellness, which spans 13,000 square feet and boasts the region's first snow room; 40,000 square feet of event space; a marina promenade featuring a curated mix of restaurants, retailers and offices; and the first residential offerings at Pier Sixty-Six featuring 88 luxury condominiums and resort residences. The 164-slip Marina continues to be a host site for the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and home of the Superyacht Village. For more information, visit www.PierSixtySix.com and follow @PierSixtySix on Instagram.  

Media Contacts:
Camila Clark, caclark@broward.org
Ebony Tyre, etyre@broward.org