Look, lots of great stuff is going down on New Year’s Eve, from hot goth lesbian shenanigans and legendary hotel closing blowouts to electronic music legend drop-ins and raw reggaeton freakouts. But we all know how the true professionals ring things in: New Year’s Day parties, those marathon affairs that separate the hardcore revelers from the mere champagne dabblers.
SF’s long and grand tradition of lighting things up in the daytime had faded a bit after COVID hit, but now it seems to be roaring back. So please welcome the return of our annual list of recommended January 1 parties, which will hopefully augur a year of staggering joyfully into the future.
IT’S A NEW DAY AND BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS 2026 BLOCK PARTY Breakfast of Champions is the Big Kahuna of New Year’s Day block parties, now entering its 25th year, with some of our best party crews joining forces to keep us up all day. The massive DJ lineup is a bit too insane for me to wrap my head around, with dozens of players both internationally revered (Cassy, Boris, Pangaea, Doc Martin, Claude Von Stroke…) and locally beloved (David Harness, Galen, Solar, Rooz, M3…)—plus a live set from Robin S. to show us love. Thu/1, 4am-10pm, outside Great Northern, SF. More info here.
FIRST SUNRISE OF 2026 SF DAY PARTY I love this and am very curious about it! 11th Street between Folsom and Harrison is becoming a massive free block party all day, with local clubs Butter, BuzzWorks, DNA Lounge, and Bella (formerly Bergerac) bringing in a slew of rad talent to four stages, including Donald Glaude, Mr. V, and Garth. 6am-8pm, 11th Street, SF. More info here.
FRESH START 2026 The upstart of NYD blasts brings in a ton of crowd-pleasing talent, like mega-stars Jon Summit and Purple Disco Machine, plus local favorites like Justin Martin and Mz Worthy to fill the vast Pier 80 warehouse with wavy smiles and hands in the air. Thu/1, 2pm-11pm, Pier 80, SF. More info here.
BRASS TAX SUPPER OF SURVIVORS XIII Any local partier worth their salt will have a blurry memory or two of a Brass Tax underground—or at least some sparkle in their underwear drawer left over from the infamous Supper of Survivors glitter cannon. The cannon may be gone, but the wild spirit remains, with plenty of rave energy and funny outfits to keep things hopping. Thu/1, 4pm-2am, Public Works, SF. More info here.
DOWNTOWN FIRST THURSDAYS: NEW YEAR’S DAY EDITION People seem to like these free block parties and I’m always happy when locals get gigs, so here it is: Join Jazz Mafia, Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet-Lickers, DJ and fashion designer Mario B, and more for a lineup of outdoor moments that includes a “Winterwear Pooch Pageant” and cocktails. Thu/1, 5pm-10pm, Second Street and Natoma, SF. More info here.
COLOSSUS 35-YEAR REUNION If you had asked me in the ’90s if I would ever recommend a gay circuit party for literally anything, I would have twirled into a flaming whirlwind of righteous rage about white male hegemony, ableist body fascism, etc. etc. 35 years later, however, the old queer party wars seem a bit quaint—at least compared to what we’re facing now (and in light of the fact we currently have so many going-out options). This reunion of the massive Colossus affair looks cute, especially with Crystal Waters popping in to headline and a special classic Hi-NRG disco room with DJ Jim Hopkins. Pump up those glutes and hit the floor. Thu/1, 6pm-4am, 1015 Folsom, SF. More info here.
STRUT SF PRESENTS NYD SUNDOWN GETDOWN 2026 Voted Best Party in our 2025 Best of the Bay Readers’ Poll, Strut lights it up for NYD with its typical fabulous house energy, with Wet Velvet, Mike Kerrigan, Dayvie, Ly Pham, and many more. Thu/1, 9pm-2am, F8, SF. More info here.
ALL-VINYL SUNSET SOUND SYSTEM NEW YEARS DAY AFTER-PARTY Here’s the true capper. After Breakfast of Champions, mosey on into the adjacent Great Northern club for some classic SF underground energy from the beloved Sunset rave crew and friends, taking the decks with actual records: Cassy, Carlos Souffront, DJ Garth, Galen, S4M23, and Solar. 10pm-3am, Great Northern, SF. More info here.
