As the year nears its end, the Town of Breckenridge is bustling with holiday cheer and excitement to ring in the New Year. It’s a time of celebration and this world-class destination sure knows how to throw a party. Let’s take a gander at how the locals spread joy with some of their most fun New Year traditions in Breckenridge:

1. Take a Hike

2. Midnight Countdown & Kiss

“For many years as the minutes inched toward the midnight hour, my friends and I would gather by the clock tower in Blue River Plaza on Main Street. Shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of others sending their libation-fueled laughter into the cold air in white steamy streams, we made new fleeting friends as we waited for the clock to change over into the next hour and year. There is no better time or place than in this gleeful swarm of mountain holiday revelers to plant your lips on those of a complete stranger. Yep. Sending off the year past and ringing in the new with a burst of intimate spontaneity is liberating.” – Shauna Farnell

3. Fireworks

“My favorite part of the annual New Year’s Eve festivities in Breck is the magnificent fireworks display! There is nothing like celebrating the New Year with your loved ones while watching the bright lights and vibrant colors dance across the peaks of the Ten Mile Range. We like to watch from the park next to Local Market downtown. Southridge and C.B. & Potts offer great viewing, too. Taking in Breck’s spectacular scenery as huge blasts of color light up the sky is a truly remarkable experience. Sharing it with special people is second to none. Then, the celebration continues because the party never ends in this mountain town!” – Karah Kidger

4. Breck’s Torch Light Parade

“For me, there is no other New Year’s tradition in Breck that can top the torch light parade. I like to imagine the ski area employees carefully snaking their way down Peak 9. With only the torches to light the path, the metal edges of their skis crunch the snow, the cold air invites rosy cheeks, and with torches held aloft, they turn in rhythm down the mountain. Watching the display is mesmerizing, as a warm glow stretches from mountaintop to town, bringing well wishes for the New Year.” – Jess Hoover

5. Ski Day!

“Over the past few January firsts, I’ve strapped into my snowboard surrounded by a mix of friends and coworkers. The fresh air usually lifts everyone’s spirits from the night before and laughter and smiles become contagious. Being surrounded by your loved ones is such a familiar and comfortable feeling yet there is an excitement about a new start that flows through the group. After riding I have to catch the replay of the Rose Parade and follow it up with a nice nap!”  – Cody M

“In the end, every New Year’s for me ends up being more about the day than the night. I like to spend my first day of the year skiing with friends. A big group meets up at a favorite breakfast spot, like Amazing Grace, for a leisurely morning. Then we take the gondola up, laughing, reminiscing about last year and sharing our hopes for the next year. And we let the new year sink in as we start our year with some good turns on the resort.” – Carol Saade

HAVE A HAPPY & HEALTHY NEW YEAR!