What is the name of the traditional Edinburgh New Year's Eve procession featuring flaming torches?
Answer
Torchlight Procession
Answer
Torchlight Procession
The traditional Edinburgh New Year's Eve procession featuring flaming torches is the Torchlight Procession.
The Edinburgh Torchlight Procession is a major opening event of the city's Hogmanay celebrations. Participants carry flaming torches through central Edinburgh, creating a long, moving stream of light through the historic streets. The procession typically ends at a landmark area such as Holyrood Park, where the torches are gathered for a ceremonial finale.
The event draws on older European fire and winter customs, but its modern form is a planned civic spectacle rather than an unchanged ancient rite. Its route and arrangements can vary between years, so descriptions should not treat every edition as identical.
The Torchlight Procession is distinct from Edinburgh's Hogmanay Street Party, which is a separate ticketed event held around midnight. Both belong to the city's wider Hogmanay program, but only the procession is defined by its torches.
Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Oct. 2026