OKLAHOMA CITY – Once the halls have been decked, the candles have been lit, the feasts have been had, and all the gifts have been unwrapped, all that’s left is New Year’s Eve.
The last remaining ritual of the calendar year is also the wildest for many, as partygoers turn out worldwide to ring out the old year and ring in the new one. And I think it’s safe to say that this NYE might be louder, crazier, and more celebratory than most, as there’ll be plenty of people more than happy to see this year in particular finally come to an end.
But while there’s bound to be no shortage of house parties, packed clubs, and champagne-flooded bars as far as the eye can see, there’s also a slate of options around the OKC metro for anyone that wants to crank up and rock to see this year out for good.
From wailing emo and psych-rock freakouts to singalong covers sets and a new “official” bash outdoors, music fanatics have some choices for ringing in 2026 with the volume all the way up.
NYE Party in the Park – Scissortail Park
When the OKC Arts Council decided a couple years ago to wind down their decades-old Opening Night celebration on New Year’s Eve, a lot of city revelers were left out in the cold without an official City-sponsored party to help see out the year.
Well, that finally changes this December 31st as the new, Visit OKC-planned NYE Party in the Park takes over the Great Lawn at Scissortail Park for a night of food trucks, local retail vendors, a drone show, and of course, live music.
Veteran family-friendly party band Drive will be hitting the Love’s Stage to keep the all-ages partying rolling right up to midnight with renditions of modern pop hits and throwback classics.
It’s all totally free and open for anyone, but be sure to bring a coat.
For more information, visit scissortailpark.org.
Uptown Get Down feat. Ghostland Observatory, Husbands, & DJ Isis Payne – Tower Theatre
The Tower has carved out a New Year’s Even tradition all its own over the past few years with the annual Uptown Get Down, bringing live music and some (perhaps more rocking and raucous) NYE revelry to the Uptown 23rd District.
This year, the festivities will be headlined by Texas-spawned, electro-funk weirdo-rockers Ghostland Observatory, whose lasers, shiny capes, and infectious stage energy re sure to bring an appropriate spectale to the evening.
But fans of OKC’s own indie scene will jump at the chance to party the year out with our city’s own Husbands, one of Oklahoma’s recent national breakouts, and Isis Payne, one of the year’s biggest and busiest local DJs.
For times, tickets, and more, visit towertheatreokc.com.
ResHead NYE w/ cursetheknife, SUNFO, and King Pink – Resonant Head
If you’ve been on the ground in OKC’s indie, emo, and shoegaze scenes, then this lineup is likely tobe stacked for you.
Heavy-gazers cursetheknife have been quiet for most of the year, but their return to the stage in the waning hours of 2025 is set to be supercharged and ready to crash the gates of the New Year.
Emo-blasters SUNFO are wrapping up what’s likely their biggest year yet, with multiple festival spots including a Main Stage moment at this year’s Norman Music Fest.
And King Pink are still riding a huge wave of new interest after being shouted out some recent national press where OKC breakouts Ben Quad described them as a more “muscular” example of the city’s emo sound.
Throw in a complimentary champagne toast and a good ol’ fashioned ball drop at midnight and you’ve got the sad boy NYE of your emo dreams.
For times, tickets, and more, visit resonanthead.com.
Opolis NYE – Psychic Baths, Cherry Laurel, The Ugly Cowboys, hosted by Gossip – Opolis
If you want to head down Norman way and you’re curious to see just how much electric, unhinged party energy can fit into a single little “micro venue,” then you’ll need to be at Opolis to catch one of the hottest (and most packed) concert lineups of the night.
It’s already bound to be a hot one with surging indie-rockers Cherry Laurel joining forces with the psych-punk freakouts of Psychic Baths and The Ugly Cowboys, but you can crank up the heat as high as the volume with drag champions Gossip handling hosting duties and leading the requisite midnight toast.
And then once the ball drops, the bubbles are downed, and 2026 has officially begun, they’ll be keeping the hits coming with a late night dance party featuring DJ REBOOT and DJ Bi-Furious.
It’s the perfect option for those NYE partiers that only really get going after midnight.
For times, tickets, and more, visit opolis.org.
You can find out about local music and performance happenings in the OKC metro weekly in this music column by Brett Fieldcamp. | Brought to you by True Sky Credit Union.
Brett Fieldcamp is our Arts and Entertainment Editor. He has been covering arts, entertainment, news, housing, and culture in Oklahoma for 15+ years, writing for several local and state publications. He’s also a musician and songwriter and holds a certification as Specialist of Spirits from The Society of Wine Educators.
