LL COOL J will headline a free outdoor New Year’s Eve concert on Eakins Oval on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. Gates open at 6 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m. Fireworks will cap the celebration at midnight.
The lineup also features DJ Jazzy Jeff, Adam Blackstone, Dorothy, and Technician the DJ as part of the performances planned in front of the Philadelphia Art Museum.
“Philly, don’t call it a comeback. We’ve got unfinished business. Shout out to the Mayor for the invitation! Meet me on the Oval this New Year’s Eve as we bring in 2026 — live,” LL Cool J told CBS News Philadelphia.
The GRAMMY-award-winning rapper was scheduled to perform with Jazmine Sullivan last summer at the Wawa Welcome America concert on the Parkway. At the time, the city’s largest municipal workers’ union, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 33, was on strike, and LL Cool J declined to participate, saying he wouldn’t appear “when I know that people are out there fighting for a living wage.”
City officials and the AFSCME District Council 33 eventually agreed to a three-year contract that included 3% raises annually.
“Philadelphia is thrilled to welcome everyone to our vibrant city as we celebrate New Year’s Eve and kick off the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence. This free concert and fireworks showcase the incredible spirit of our community and the cultural legacy that Philadelphia embodies,” Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said in a statement shared with the Patch of Philadelphia.
The New Year’s Eve concert will mark the beginning of an eventful year for Philadelphia. The city will host FIFA World Cup matches, the MLB All-Star Game, and various semiquincentennial celebrations recognizing the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.