Edinburgh hosts the annual Hogmanay New Year’s celebration known for its Torchlight Procession.
Hogmanay is the Scottish name for New Year’s Eve and the surrounding celebrations. Edinburgh’s event traditionally begins with a large torchlit procession through the city, followed by concerts, street festivities, and a midnight fireworks display near Edinburgh Castle.
The procession is associated with a modern public festival that developed strongly in the twentieth century, although Scotland’s Hogmanay customs have much older roots. Fire and light are recurring themes in Scottish winter celebrations, reflecting communal renewal and the marking of seasonal change.
Edinburgh is sometimes confused with other Scottish cities that hold their own Hogmanay events. Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Dundee also celebrate New Year, but Edinburgh’s internationally prominent festival and castle fireworks are the specific event connected with this Torchlight Procession.