Edinburgh hosts the annual Hogmanay celebrations known for a torchlight procession and Princes Street events.
Edinburgh's Hogmanay is a major New Year's festival in Scotland. Its program has included a torchlight procession through the city, outdoor concerts, and a large street party centered on Princes Street and nearby areas. The exact schedule and capacity can change from year to year, but the city's historic center remains the setting associated with the event.
The celebration draws on Scotland's distinctive New Year traditions, including songs, fire, visiting, and the custom of first-footing. In first-footing, the first person to enter a household after midnight traditionally brings symbolic gifts such as food, drink, or fuel. Edinburgh's modern festival turns those cultural traditions into a large public event rather than a purely household observance.
Edinburgh is sometimes confused with Glasgow because both Scottish cities hold New Year's events. The torchlight procession and Princes Street street-party setting specifically identify Edinburgh's Hogmanay, whose name is the Scots word commonly used for New Year's celebrations.