The messages will appear starting at sunset — around 4:55 p.m. — through midnight on Dec. 31, 2025, and Jan. 1, 2026
The Pacific Wheel at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier will feature an animated light display of “Happy New Year” greetings in 16 languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, German, French and Japanese, on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
The messages will appear starting at sunset — around 4:55 p.m. — through midnight on Dec. 31, 2025, and Jan. 1, 2026, using the Ferris wheel’s 174,000 LED lights.
The pier boardwalk will close overnight, and no fireworks are planned at the pier or Santa Monica State Beach. The pier itself will close at 10 p.m. both days, with the amusement park and businesses open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Viewers can watch from Santa Monica State Beach south of the pier, Palisades Park to the north, beachfront hotels or via a live webcam at pacpark.com/live.
The solar-powered wheel, standing 90 feet tall, uses computer-generated programming for its displays.
