What is the name of the New Year's Eve procession that begins Edinburgh's Hogmanay festivities?

The procession that begins Edinburgh's Hogmanay festivities is the Torchlight Procession.

The event is a large public march in which participants carry flaming torches through central Edinburgh. It traditionally takes place on December 30, forming a dramatic opening to the city's wider Hogmanay program rather than occurring at midnight on December 31.

The procession usually follows a route through the historic center and has been associated with Edinburgh's strong Scandinavian and winter-festival connections. Its imagery also echoes older fire customs found across northern Europe, where flames symbolized protection, purification, or the carrying of light into winter.

The procession is separate from Edinburgh's midnight street party and concert events. Hogmanay schedules can change, and routes or participation arrangements may vary, but the torchlit march remains one of the festival's signature features. Visitors should not confuse it with the traditional first-footing custom, which takes place after midnight in private homes.