New Year’s Eve Events in Bend Oregon: What’s Confirmed for December 31

Bend’s December 31, 2026 event calendar is still filling in, but one event is locked in and bookable right now: Wanderlust Tours’ New Year’s Eve Bonfire on the Snow. It’s a guided snowshoe trip into the Cascades that ends with a bonfire and a midnight champagne toast under the stars.

A handful of Bend traditions that show up every year, like the Riverhouse Speakeasy Social and the Mt. Bachelor Luminaria, haven’t posted their 2026 details yet as of late August. So instead of treating last year’s party list as this year’s lineup, this guide splits things into what’s actually confirmed for December 31, 2026 and what’s still pending an announcement. Event dates, prices, and availability can change, so double-check the official page before you book.

Quick Snapshot: Bend NYE 2026

The One Confirmed New Year’s Eve Event in Bend for 2026

New Year’s Eve Bonfire on the Snow, by Wanderlust Tours

This is currently the only New Year’s Eve event in the Bend area with a confirmed December 31, 2026 date, verified independently by Wanderlust Tours’ own booking page, Visit Central Oregon, and the Visit Bend event calendar.

What’s included:

• Naturalist guide for the whole trip
• Snowshoes and headlamps
• Round-trip transportation from the Bend office
• Hot cocoa with hazelnut espresso vodka
• Locally made desserts
• Champagne toast at midnight

Here’s how the night actually goes: the group leaves from Wanderlust’s Bend office and snowshoes through the forest to a hand-carved snow amphitheater, where a bonfire is already going. You’ll spend the evening there with hot drinks and dessert before the champagne toast at midnight, then snowshoe back out.

A few things worth knowing before you book:

• The tour runs rain or shine, so plan for it either way.
• Waterproof boots and snow pants can be rented through Wanderlust, but sizes are limited, so reserve them ahead of time rather than showing up and hoping.
• Bring warm layers regardless: snow boots, gloves, a hat, and snow pants.
• Cancel more than two weeks out and you’ll pay a 10% fee. Cancel within two weeks of the event and the full tour cost applies.

Book directly through the official Wanderlust Tours event page. No separate ticket site is listed, so that page is the booking route.

Is it family-friendly?

Kids 12 and up are welcome, which is stated directly on the official listing. It’s not built for toddlers or younger children though. You’re snowshoeing at night in winter conditions for several hours, so it fits families with older kids who can handle the hike and the cold, not a stroller-friendly outing.

Why this one stands out

Most Bend NYE events are indoor parties with a DJ and a bar tab. This one leans into what actually makes Bend different in winter: the mountains right outside town. You’re out under the stars in a snow-carved amphitheater instead of a hotel ballroom, and the midnight moment is a champagne toast around a bonfire rather than a countdown on a dance floor. If you want an NYE that feels specific to Bend rather than something you could do in any city, this is currently the one option that delivers that.

Bend NYE Events Still Awaiting Their Announcement

These are real, recurring parts of Bend’s New Year’s Eve scene, but none of them have published 2026 dates, times, or prices yet as of this writing. The numbers below are what each event charged in 2025, shown only so you know roughly what to expect if and when 2026 details go live. Don’t book against these figures.

A few of these, especially Riverhouse and McMenamins, have run every year and are likely to come back in some form. But “likely” isn’t the same as confirmed, so treat this table as a heads-up list, not a booking list. Bend Magazine’s event calendar, The Source Weekly, and Visit Bend’s calendar are the places these usually get announced first, typically as December gets closer.

Are There Fireworks in Bend on New Year’s Eve?

Not confirmed for 2026, at least not in Bend itself. Hoodoo Ski Area, which runs a New Year’s Eve program with skiing, dinner, live music, and fireworks in a typical year, is near Sisters, not Bend, and its site currently shows the mountain closed for the off-season with no 2026 NYE date posted. If you’re specifically chasing a fireworks show, don’t plan around Hoodoo until it publishes a 2026 date, and don’t expect one inside Bend proper based on what’s confirmed right now.

How to Pick the Right Event

Before you book anything for December 31, 2026, run through this:

• Check the age policy. The confirmed Wanderlust event is 12+, and several of the 2025 parties were 21+.
• See what’s included. Transportation, food, and drinks matter a lot when you’re comparing a $170 outdoor experience to a $20 indoor party.
• Confirm the price is current. Anything with a 2025 price tag needs a fresh check closer to the date.
• Read the cancellation policy. Wanderlust’s is 10% more than two weeks out, full price within two weeks.
• Watch the road and weather. This is Central Oregon in winter. Check conditions on US-97 and around the Cascades before you drive out for anything happening outside town.
• Book early for limited-capacity events. Snowshoe and boot rentals for the Wanderlust trip are limited, so reserve gear ahead rather than at the last minute.

Frequently Asked Questions

What New Year’s Eve events are confirmed in Bend for 2026?

Right now, just one: Wanderlust Tours’ New Year’s Eve Bonfire on the Snow, happening December 31, 2026 from 9 PM to 1:15 AM for $170 per person. Other Bend traditions haven’t posted 2026 dates yet.

How much does the New Year’s Eve Bonfire on the Snow cost?

It’s $170 per person. That covers the guide, snowshoes, headlamps, transportation from Bend, hot cocoa, dessert, and the midnight champagne toast. No separate child rate is listed.

Are kids allowed at the Bend New Year’s Eve Bonfire?

Yes, children 12 and older are welcome, per the official Wanderlust listing. It’s not designed for younger kids given the length of the hike and the winter conditions.

Where does the Bonfire on the Snow depart from?

From Wanderlust Tours’ office at 61535 S Hwy 97 in Bend. The group travels from there into the Cascade Mountains by snowshoe.

Are there any free New Year’s Eve events in Bend for 2026?

None have been confirmed yet. The one verified 2026 event is ticketed at $170. If free or low-cost options get announced, they’ll likely show up through Bend Magazine or Visit Bend’s calendar closer to December.

Is there a New Year’s Eve fireworks show in Bend?

No confirmed one inside Bend for 2026. Hoodoo Ski Area, near Sisters rather than Bend, has run a fireworks program in past years but hasn’t posted 2026 dates.

What Bend NYE events from past years haven’t announced 2026 plans?

Riverhouse Lodge’s Speakeasy Social, the Mt. Bachelor Luminaria, McMenamins Old St. Francis School, UPP Liquids, Lady Bird Cultural Society, the Elk Lake Resort dinner, Wildwood’s Latin dance party, and the Domino Room’s Hasbens & Call Down Thunder show are all recurring events without 2026 details yet.

Do I need a ticket for New Year’s Eve events in Bend?

For the confirmed Wanderlust event, yes, booking is required through their official page. The other events listed here required tickets or reservations in 2025 too, so expect the same once 2026 details go live.

What to Watch For as More 2026 Events Get Announced

Bend’s NYE lineup usually fills out as December approaches. If you’re planning ahead, keep an eye on Bend Magazine’s event calendar, The Source Weekly, and Visit Bend’s official listings, since that’s where events like Riverhouse and McMenamins typically get posted first. For now, Wanderlust’s Bonfire on the Snow is the one event you can actually book, and it’s also the most distinctly Bend option on the list: a snowshoe through the Cascades ending in a bonfire and a champagne toast at midnight, instead of another indoor countdown party.