Edinburgh holds the Hogmanay Torchlight Procession before its New Year’s Eve festivities.
The procession traditionally moves through the city with thousands of torchbearers, creating a river of light along Edinburgh’s historic streets. It forms part of the capital’s wider Hogmanay program, which also includes concerts, a large street party, and fireworks near Edinburgh Castle.
The modern torchlight event draws on Scotland’s strong winter fire traditions, although its present form is a contemporary organized festival rather than an unchanged survival from ancient times. The route and arrangements have varied over the years, and participation may be regulated for safety and crowd management.
Hogmanay is celebrated throughout Scotland, so the torchlight procession should not be treated as a nationwide requirement. It is specifically associated with Edinburgh’s major festival. The city’s dramatic topography and medieval Old Town help make the procession visually distinctive.