Edinburgh holds the Hogmanay Torchlight Procession before its New Year's celebrations.
The procession is one of the best-known events associated with Edinburgh's Hogmanay program. Participants carry flaming torches through the city, creating a large moving river of light. The route and arrangements have changed over time, but the event has commonly connected central Edinburgh with the city's historic and ceremonial landscape.
Hogmanay is the Scottish celebration of New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Edinburgh's modern festival grew into a major international event featuring concerts, street parties, fireworks, and traditional customs such as first-footing. The torchlight event is usually scheduled before midnight, while the main countdown occurs later.
The procession should not be confused with the Stonehaven Fireballs, another Scottish New Year event held in Stonehaven. Both use fire, but Edinburgh's event is specifically a torch-bearing procession involving many participants moving through the capital.