WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Auckland ushered in 2026 with a fireworks display launched from the Sky Tower, becoming the first major city in the world to welcome the new year, despite rain that dampened celebrations.
Countries across the South Pacific are the earliest to bid farewell to 2025. Midnight in Auckland, a city of about 1.7 million people, arrives 18 hours before the traditional New Year’s Eve ball drop in New York’s Times Square.
The five-minute display featured about 3,500 fireworks fired from multiple levels of the 240-metre (787-foot) Sky Tower. However, forecasts of rain and possible thunderstorms led to the cancellation of several smaller community events across New Zealand’s North Island.
Australia Marks the New Year Under Heightened Security
Australia’s east coast welcomed 2026 two hours after New Zealand, with celebrations in Sydney taking place under heightened security following the country’s deadliest mass shooting in nearly three decades.
On Dec. 14, two gunmen targeted a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and wounding 40. In response, a heavy police presence monitored thousands of people who gathered along Sydney’s waterfront to watch the annual fireworks centered on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Many officers were visibly armed with rapid-fire rifles, a first for the event.
An hour before midnight, organizers planned a minute of silence to honour the victims, accompanied by projections of a menorah on the bridge’s pylons. Attendees were encouraged to show solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community by shining their phone lights across the harbour.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns urged residents not to avoid public celebrations out of fear.
“We can’t be in a situation where this horrible, criminal, terrorist event changes the way we live in our beautiful city,” Minns told reporters, adding that smaller crowds would be seen by extremists as a victory.
Subdued Celebrations in Indonesia and Hong Kong
In Indonesia, New Year’s Eve festivities were scaled back in solidarity with communities affected by catastrophic floods and landslides that struck parts of Sumatra last month, killing more than 1,100 people.
The capital, Jakarta, replaced its usual celebrations with a more reflective program focused on prayer, Governor Pramono Anung said. In Makassar, Mayor Munafri Arifuddin called on residents to forgo parties altogether, urging prayer and reflection instead.
On the tourist island of Bali, concerts and fireworks were canceled and replaced with a cultural arts event featuring 65 groups performing traditional dances.
Hong Kong also opted for subdued celebrations following a massive fire in November that killed at least 161 people. Instead of its traditional fireworks over Victoria Harbour, the city’s tourism board organized a music event in Central featuring the soft rock duo Air Supply. Eight landmark buildings were transformed into countdown clocks, culminating in a three-minute light show at midnight.
Traditional Observances Across Asia
Elsewhere in Asia, many communities welcomed the new year through long-standing traditions. In Japan, crowds gathered at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo for the traditional midnight bell ringing. In Seoul, a bell-tolling and countdown ceremony was held at the Bosingak Pavilion.
As 2026 began, celebrations across the region reflected a mix of festivity, remembrance, and resilience in the face of recent tragedy.