Community turns out in the rain for New Year’s Eve Bonfire
By Camille DeVaul · Thu Jan 08 2026
Despite wet weather, families filled Downtown City Park for live music, local food, and an early countdown to 2026
PASO ROBLES — Despite steady rain throughout the evening, hundreds of residents gathered in Downtown City Park on Wednesday, Dec. 31, to celebrate the Paso Robles Bonfire New Year’s Eve event, ringing in 2026 with live music and a roaring fire.
The free, rain-or-shine celebration ran from 7 to 11 p.m. and featured live music by the Lucky Devils Band, food-truck offerings and a selection of beer, wine, cocktails, and sparkling wine from area vendors. Family-friendly activities included face painting and glitter tattoos, as well as the Dragon Knights stilt walkers, who moved through the crowd during the night.
At the heart of the event was the towering bonfire, carefully constructed and managed by the Paso Robles Fire Department. Administrative Fire Captain Paramedic Ross Porter said the department used approximately 400 wooden pallets, each cut in half to allow for better placement and control.
With rain in the forecast, preparation began well before the event. Porter said the fire department closely monitored weather conditions and took extra precautions to ensure the fire would burn efficiently.
“With the weather, every year we tarp it because we’re not sure what the weather’s going to be like,” Porter said. “We stay in line with the forecast and watch the weather really closely, but we keep it tarped."
The pallets, which were collected from businesses throughout Paso Robles, were untreated and free of paint or chemicals. According to Porter, dry Christmas trees donated from a local tree lot were placed in the center of the pile and ignited several feet off the ground, allowing the fire to catch naturally without the use of flammable liquids.
“We’ve learned over the last few years how to build it to be as stable as possible,” Porter said. “The last thing we want is for it to fail or collapse in a direction we don’t want.”
He added, “We put dry Christmas trees donated from a local tree lot in the center, and we light it about four or five feet off the ground so it takes off and falls down inside. That’s what lights it.”
Organizers expanded the event footprint this year, anticipating larger crowds based on social media engagement and feedback from past events. Food trucks and picnic tables were moved onto nearby streets to keep them off the grass and provide firmer ground for attendees, especially given the wet conditions.
While attendance was lower than last year due to the rain, the crowd that did turn out was enthusiastic. Paso Robles Public Works Director Freda Berman said turnout was about half of what it had been the previous year, based on drink sales, but praised the energy of those who attended.
"Given the rain, the turnout for the event was good," Berman said. "If we gauge the crowd according to drink sales, we saw about half the crowd as last year. But they were a fantastic crowd and clearly enjoyed the band, stilt walkers and bonfire."
She added that aside from an increase in food trucks, the event remained largely the same as previous years — a formula that continues to resonate with the community.
“It truly speaks to the spirit of Paso Robles when a fun-loving crowd comes out in the rain to rock with the band and ring in 2026,” Berman said. “The Paso Robles community is the best.”
The evening included a countdown to East Coast midnight at 9 p.m., allowing families to celebrate early. Nearby businesses did end up benefiting from the rain, having packed crowds inside to enjoy a drink and get warm.
According to Porter, the event has grown steadily each year, drawing visitors from beyond the city.
"I think this is a really neat event," he said. "We have people that come from all over for this event now ... we have a live band. The park is beautiful. Every year we add more lights in the park to the trees. So it's becoming quite the thing ... it's becoming larger and larger every year."
As rain fell and the bonfire crackled, the Paso Robles New Year’s Eve celebration once again proved that a little weather couldn’t dampen the city’s holiday spirit.
Feature Image: The crowd watches as the bonfire goes up Dec. 31 during the Paso Robles Bonfire New Year's Eve event at Downtown City Park. Photo by Brittany App