Edinburgh hosts Hogmanay, Scotland’s best-known New Year's Eve festival.
Edinburgh Hogmanay is a large public celebration featuring concerts, street events, processions, and fireworks. Its best-known scenes take place around the city centre, with Edinburgh Castle often forming a dramatic backdrop to the midnight display.
“Hogmanay” is the Scots word for the last day of the year and the Scottish New Year celebration. Customs associated with the season include first-footing, in which the first visitor to enter a home after midnight is welcomed with gifts or symbolic household items.
The modern Edinburgh festival developed into a major organized event during the late 20th century. It is not the only Hogmanay celebration in Scotland: towns and cities throughout the country mark the occasion with their own traditions, gatherings, and local performances.