Ring In The New Year On The Route 13 Corridor
New Year’s Eve in central Delaware comes down to a short list of places that are still open at midnight, and Harrington Raceway & Casino is one of them.
What makes a casino work on December 31 is that the night does not hinge on a reservation window. The casino floor runs on its standing schedule, 8 AM to 4 AM Sunday through Thursday and around the clock on Friday and Saturday, and the property closes for only two days a year, Easter and Christmas. December 31, 2026 falls on a Thursday, so the floor carries straight through the turn of the year without closing.
What The Most Recent New Year’s Eve Looked Like
The last New Year’s Eve at Harrington was a dance party in the Gold Room with the Central City Orchestra, running 9:30 PM to 1 AM, with party favors and a champagne toast at midnight. Tickets were sold in advance rather than at the door.
The Gold Room is our ticketed room. It features the concerts, comedy nights, and special-event parties that need a seat and a ticket, and when a show goes on sale the tickets are sold through Eventbrite using the link posted on the Gold Room Live schedule. That is the only place we sell tickets, which matters on a night when resale listings tend to appear. Bōnz Lounge is a separate room, with free local bands on Friday and Saturday nights from 9 PM to 1 AM and no ticket required.
This Year’s New Year’s Eve At Harrington
Our New Year’s Eve entertainment for this year will be announced soon. Two pages carry the information when it lands. The Gold Room Live schedule lists each show with its start times and its Eventbrite link, and the casino promotions page carries the drawings, slot tournaments, and players card events running that month. Checking both in early December is the way to see what December 31 holds.
Players Club members usually hear first. Gold Diamond, Black Diamond, and Blue Diamond members receive invitations to casino special events and complimentary tickets to live entertainment, with Blue Diamond adding reserved seating. Invitations are first come, first served and subject to availability.
The Floor On December 31
The slot floor holds 1,300 machines. Table games run Sunday through Thursday from 10 AM to 3 AM, with blackjack, roulette, and poker, and the poker room keeps its own hours, which are worth checking before a holiday visit.
The sports book is the other option for a group that wants somewhere to sit down. It covers football, basketball, hockey, and baseball, and the simulcast parlor carries horse racing.
Dinner Before Midnight
We offer six places to eat inside the building, which takes the hardest part of New Year’s Eve planning off the table. Bōnz is the steak and seafood room with a wine list, and Onion Jack’s does steaks, seafood, and comfort food. Bolo’s carves sandwiches, Grab & Go handles sandwiches, pizza, and sweets, Murphy’s Sports Bar has the nachos and the Raceway Wings, and the Clubhouse sits trackside with betting stations at the table. Hours vary by venue, so a group arriving late is better off calling ahead than assuming all six are serving.
Staying Past Midnight Without Driving Home
Two hotel partners sit near the property, Quality Inn & Suites and Holiday Inn Express. Players Club members receive a 20% discounted room rate when they present a membership card at check-in, excluding race weekend, and the reservation has to be made through the hotel’s local number rather than a national booking line. A shuttle runs on weekends. A night that ends at 1 AM is a better night when nobody in the group is counting drinks against a drive home.
Join The Players Club Before The Year Turns
Players Club points accrue by calendar year, January 1 through December 31, so December 31 is the last night of the current earning year and January 1 starts the next one fresh. Membership is free and open regardless of where you live. The benefits start at the Gold Diamond level with 10% cash discounts at the restaurants and the gift shop, and rise through the three Diamond tiers to add valet parking, VIP line service, Diamond Lounge access, and the event invitations that matter most on a night like this one.
Fill out the sign-up form online before you visit, then collect the card at the Players Club booth with photo ID when you arrive, and it earns from your first bet of the night.
New Year’s Eve FAQs
Is the casino open on New Year’s Eve?
Yes. Harrington Raceway & Casino closes only on Easter and Christmas. December 31, 2026 is a Thursday, and the standing Sunday through Thursday hours run 8 AM to 4 AM, so the floor is open through midnight and past it.
Where do New Year’s Eve parties take place?
In the Gold Room, which is the property’s ticketed events room and the space that carried the most recent New Year’s Eve party. Bōnz Lounge is a separate room with free live bands on Friday and Saturday nights and no ticket.
How do I buy tickets for a Gold Room event?
Through Eventbrite, using the link posted beside each show on the Gold Room Live schedule. Eventbrite and the links on our site are the only authorized ticket source, and we are not responsible for tickets bought anywhere else.
When will this year’s New Year’s Eve plans be posted?
Entertainment and promotions are scheduled a month at a time, so December details appear on the Gold Room Live schedule and the promotions page at the beginning of the month. Players Club members also receive invitations to casino special events.
Do I need to be 21?
Yes. Harrington Raceway & Casino is a 21 and older property.
Is there a hotel nearby?
Quality Inn & Suites and Holiday Inn Express both partner with the casino, and Players Club members receive a 20% room discount by presenting the card at check-in, excluding race weekend, with the reservation made through the hotel’s local number.