What is Edinburgh's large New Year's Eve street festival called?

The story behind the answer

Edinburgh's large New Year's Eve street festival is called Hogmanay.

Hogmanay is the Scots name for the final day of the year and for the celebrations surrounding it. Edinburgh's modern festival is known for torchlight processions, concerts, street parties, fireworks, and traditional Scottish music and dancing. Its central events take place around the Old Town, Princes Street, and nearby public spaces.

The word's exact origin remains uncertain. Scholars have proposed Norse, French, Gaelic, and other linguistic connections, but no single explanation is universally accepted. Scotland's New Year customs also include first-footing, in which the first person to enter a home after midnight is traditionally associated with bringing luck.

Hogmanay is not the same event as Burns Night, which honors poet Robert Burns on January 25. It is also broader than a single Edinburgh concert: Hogmanay celebrations occur throughout Scotland, with local traditions varying between communities. Edinburgh's version became especially prominent as an international festival in the late twentieth century.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Oct. 2026

Add question to a list

Choose a list to keep this question in: