Edinburgh holds the Hogmanay torchlight procession that traditionally begins the city's New Year's festivities.
The procession is a major event in Edinburgh's Hogmanay program, with participants carrying torches through the city toward a central gathering area. Its imagery draws on older winter and fire customs, while the modern event developed as part of Edinburgh's organized New Year's celebrations.
Hogmanay is the Scottish word for New Year's Eve and can refer broadly to Scotland's New Year's customs. Edinburgh's celebration includes more than the procession: concerts, street events, and the midnight fireworks are also prominent. The torchlight event should not be confused with the separate New Year's Day tradition of Loony Dook, a costumed cold-water dip.