At Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, what torchlit procession traditionally takes place on the evening of December 30?

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay traditionally begins with the Torchlight Procession on the evening of December 30.

The procession carries flaming torches through central Edinburgh, creating a river of light associated with the city’s winter New Year celebrations. It commonly finishes at or near Holyrood Park, where the collected torches form a large symbolic fire. Routes and arrangements can change between editions, so the event’s operational details are not identical every year.

Hogmanay is the Scottish term for New Year’s Eve and the surrounding celebrations. Edinburgh’s modern festival grew into a major international event with concerts, street parties, fireworks, and traditional Scottish music. The torch procession provides a dramatic opening before the main midnight festivities.

It is distinct from Edinburgh’s New Year’s Day Loony Dook, in which participants traditionally enter cold water in costume. The two events belong to the same festival period but occur on different days and have different purposes.