FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Downtown Fort Lauderdale was preparing to celebrate New Year’s Eve with the drop of The Anchor, a 20-foot-tall sculpture weighing about 800 pounds, at Southwest Second Street and Fifth Avenue.

The city’s Parks and Recreation team planned to have the Kids’ Zone up by 4:40 p.m. The area will have bounce houses, inflatables, and face painting.

The city’s team also planned to have the lighting of The Anchor and a drone show starting at 6:55 p.m. DJ Echo Slim takes over the party from 7:15 to 11:45 p.m.

After the countdown and the drop, Phillip Phillips, a pop-rock singer-songwriter who rose to fame after winning the eleventh season of American Idol, will take over the stage.

TRAFFIC

Closed: Police officers closed Southwest Second Street in both directions from First to Fifth avenues until 9 a.m. on Thursday. Second Street westbound is closed from Fifth to Seventh avenues.

Restricted: Access to Southwest Second, Third, and Fourth avenues south of Broward Boulevard will be restricted to the area’s residents and employees.

WATCH IT LIVE

Local 10 News livestreams start at 11 p.m. with the local South Florida countdown and the Coast-to-Coast NYE 2026 celebrations -- including New York City’s Times Square and the main party at Las Vegas.

New Year’s Eve parties: Here is everything you need to know about Fort Lauderdale’s Anchor drop

Local 10’s livestream countdowns start at 11 p.m.

About The Author

Magdala Louissaint

Andrea Torres