The Hogmanay New Year's Eve festival celebrated with a famous street party is held in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is one of the world’s best-known New Year celebrations. Its central events have included a torchlight procession, concerts, a large street party, and fireworks near Edinburgh Castle. The exact program can change from year to year, but the festival consistently combines Scottish customs with large public gatherings.
The word “Hogmanay” refers to the Scottish New Year celebration itself. Its precise linguistic origin is disputed, and proposed connections include French, Norse, Gaelic, and Scots sources. That uncertainty does not affect the festival’s modern identity.
Visitors sometimes confuse Hogmanay with Christmas, but it is specifically associated with the arrival of the New Year. Scottish customs connected with the period include first-footing, in which the first person to enter a home after midnight is traditionally expected to bring good fortune.