Staff Reports | Happenings & Events
A new New Year’s Eve tradition is coming to Old Town Scottsdale as AZ88, Pinyon and Scottsdale Arts team up to present “What a _____ Year, NYE Party on the Park 2026” on Dec. 31 at Scottsdale Civic Center.
The inaugural event will feature live music from yacht rock sensation The Docksiders, along with premium food and cocktails, a red-carpet arrival experience, live entertainment and a midnight drone show.
“It’s our first year, but the plan is to make it an annual Scottsdale tradition,” said Paul Martinez, president of AZ88. “We want to create an elevated New Year’s Eve experience for a cosmopolitan crowd — premium cocktails, great entertainment, sophisticated atmosphere and all the energy of a big celebration without feeling like the typical New Year’s Eve party.”
Guests will enter via a red carpet and step-and-repeat photo backdrop before enjoying an evening hosted by local radio personality Rich Berra and music from DJ Slick 76.
The evening’s headline entertainment will be provided by The Docksiders, known as “America’s Favorite Yacht Rock Band.” The Las Vegas-based group, which maintains a residency at The Venetian Resort, is led by three-time Grammy nominee Kevin Sucher and is known for its high-energy performances of classic hits, complete with costume changes and elaborate production.
For Adam Strecker, CEO and founding partner of Hi Noon Hospitality, the event is a natural fit for the Civic Center setting.
“Pinyon sits right on the park, so Scottsdale Civic Center isn’t a venue to us — it’s our front yard,” said Adam Strecker, CEO and founding partner of Hi Noon Hospitality. “When the three of us decided to bring New Year’s Eve back to the heart of Old Town, it was an easy ‘yes.’ AZ88 has been a Scottsdale institution for decades, and Scottsdale Arts is the reason this stretch of the city feels the way it does. Being part of the first year of something that could become a tradition is exactly why we opened Pinyon here.”
Just before midnight, organizers will lead a countdown to 2027, followed by a drone show above Scottsdale Civic Center.
Dr. Gerd Wuestemann, president and CEO of Scottsdale Arts, said the celebration has been years in the making.
“Ringing in the New Year with great music, great food and great people in one of the most beautiful settings in the Southwest — it doesn’t get much better than that,” said Dr. Gerd Wuestemann, president and CEO of Scottsdale Arts.
Dr. Wuestemann said he had envisioned a signature New Year’s Eve event for Scottsdale Civic Center since the park’s renovation was completed in 2023. When Scottsdale Arts joined forces with neighboring restaurants AZ88 and Pinyon, organizers saw an opportunity to create a destination celebration in the heart of Old Town that they hope will become an annual tradition.
