Edinburgh Hogmanay

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Hogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year. It is, however, normally only the start of a celebration which lasts through the night until the morning of New Year's Day (1 January) or, in some cases, 2 January which is a Scottish Bank Holiday.

Hogmanay is the largest New Year event in the world with four days of celebrations culminating with a massive New Year's Eve street party.

Four fabulous days and nights of amazing events in the world's greatest New Year party. With the traditional torchlit procession, street performers, fireworks, concerts, ceilidh, the big Hogmanay Street party itself and New Year's Day events to blow the cobwebs away - Edinburgh is absolutely buzzing.

The Torchlight Procession opens Edinburgh's Hogmanay festivities. It takes place each year on 29th December, starting at Parliament Square by St Giles Cathedral at 6.30pm (gather at 6pm) and winding its way down the Mound to Calton Hill. with as many as 25,000 people taking part.

Music runs throughout the whole programme from the music festival in Princes St. Gardens which has included headline acts such as Blondie, Oasis, Scissor Sisters and Groove Armada, to the traditional ceilidhs, music stages and DJ sets all of which contribute to the incomparable party atmosphere. To see in the New Year with a bang, Edinburgh is illuminated by a fireworks displays from the world famous Castle and from Carlton Hill.

The festival highlight is the world-renowned New Year's Eve street party attracting up to 100,000 people every year.

The party doesn't end here though the celebrations continue through New Year's Day with many events and activities programmed throughout the day.