Edinburgh holds the Hogmanay Street Party on Princes Street as part of its New Year's Eve celebration.
Edinburgh's Hogmanay is a large, organized festival that typically includes concerts, street events, a torchlight procession, and midnight fireworks. Princes Street, beneath the city's Old Town skyline and Edinburgh Castle, has been a central setting for the famous street party, although exact routes and access arrangements can change.
The word Hogmanay refers broadly to Scottish New Year's celebrations rather than to only one event. Customs can include singing “Auld Lang Syne,” first-footing, dancing, and fire-related ceremonies. In first-footing, the first person to enter a home after midnight is traditionally expected to bring luck, sometimes with symbolic gifts.
Edinburgh's modern festival grew into a major international event, but it reflects older Scottish customs. It is separate from the Highland tradition of Hogmanay celebrations held in other Scottish communities, including those with local music and fire rituals.