Edinburgh hosts the Hogmanay New Year's celebration famous for its torchlight procession.
Edinburgh's Hogmanay is one of Scotland's best-known New Year's festivals. Hogmanay is the Scots term for the final day of the year and, by extension, the traditional Scottish celebration of New Year's Eve. Edinburgh's modern festival developed into a major public event featuring concerts, street gatherings, fireworks and the Torchlight Procession.
The procession generally takes place on December 30 rather than at midnight on December 31. Participants carry flaming torches through central Edinburgh, creating a river of light toward a ceremonial finale. The festival also draws on Scottish customs such as first-footing, in which the first visitor to enter a home after midnight is traditionally associated with bringing luck.
Edinburgh's celebration is sometimes confused with Hogmanay events throughout Scotland, because the word describes a national tradition rather than only one city festival. The capital's version is especially prominent because of its large organized program and iconic setting beneath Edinburgh Castle.