BOOM! 2026: An Evening in Oz is coming to Fiesta Hall at Plummer Park on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, — a free New Year’s Eve party that is also a drug-and alcohol-free event. BOOM! is presented as a safe and fun alternative to the usual bar and club scene. The event is co-produced by the City of West Hollywood and The Institute for Public Strategies.
The fun kicks off at 8:30 p.m. and runs to 12:30 a.m. into New Year’s Day.
What’s planned
The theme is “An Evening in Oz,” with a nod to Wicked and The Wizard of Oz. The event is hosted by drag performers Salinas EsTitties and Pickle, with music by DJ Michael Ian, plus snacks and alcohol-free drinks, according to details shared by organizers.
If you want to go, the RSVP page is up at boomweho.com
The City’s role
BOOM! is not a new event; it’s been around for years, and the City has treated it like an important and valuable public health and community safety program, not just a party. BOOM! is a event for the recovery community and the sober-curious crowd + anybody who simply wants a New Year’s Eve that isn’t built around booze or drugs.
A City Council staff report tied to the event describes the Institute for Public Strategies (IPS) as the organizer and notes that IPS leads the Safer WeHo Coalition, focused on reducing substance use-related harm and offering “safe, healthy alternatives” to nightlife-centered activities.
That same report says the City budgeted $15,000 for a sober New Year’s Eve event and approved an additional $5,000 request, along with about $1,674 in waived City fees tied to permits and facility use.
The staff report also notes that last year’s sober New Year’s event drew about 600 attendees over the course of the night.
A quick WEHO rewind on BOOM!
WEHOonline has covered BOOM! going back to its earlier years, when it was staged at the West Hollywood Park Auditorium and pitched as a way to have a big New Year’s Eve in WeHo without alcohol or drugs.
If you want the throwback, here are a few:
- #Boom!, WeHo’s Fun Way to Ring in the New Year Safely
- #Boom!, WeHo’s Sober New Year’s Celebration, Has a ‘Superhero’ Theme
- WeHo’s Fifth Annual ‘#Boom’ Celebrates New Year’s Alcohol Free
Why BOOM! matters
If you’ve lived life long enough, you know New Year’s Eve can go sideways fast. Too often, people start the new year with their lives in ruin due to the fallout from alcohol or drugs. The National Safety Council has warned that the New Year’s holiday period is a time when traffic deaths spike, with impaired driving a recurring factor. BOOM! is for those who still want to celebrate without chasing the dragon of drinking and drugging. So whether it’s your scene or not, it’s great to know BOOM! is back for another round of fun!
