Hogmanay is the name of the New Year's Eve celebration held in Edinburgh, Scotland, known for its torchlight procession and street party.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is a large annual festival that includes concerts, public gatherings, and a torchlight procession through the city. The name “Hogmanay” is used across Scotland for New Year's celebrations, while Edinburgh’s event is one of the most internationally recognized versions.
Scottish New Year customs also include first-footing, in which the first person to enter a household after midnight is traditionally expected to bring symbolic gifts or qualities for good fortune. Singing “Auld Lang Syne,” the Robert Burns song, is another important part of the celebration.
Hogmanay is not the same holiday as Burns Night, which honors Burns on January 25. Nor is every Scottish New Year activity necessarily part of Edinburgh’s official festival program; the word can describe both a city event and the wider national celebration.