Edinburgh hosts Scotland’s best-known Hogmanay torchlight procession and major New Year celebrations.
Hogmanay is the Scots term for New Year’s Eve and the associated celebrations. Edinburgh’s modern festival has included a torchlight procession, street parties, concerts, and fireworks, making the city one of the most internationally recognized destinations for New Year festivities. The exact program can change from year to year.
The torchlight event traditionally moves through central Edinburgh, with participants carrying flaming torches in a dramatic procession. Other events have taken place around landmarks such as Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street, although locations and access arrangements depend on the festival plan.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay should not be confused with the Scottish custom of first-footing, in which the first visitor entering a home after midnight is associated with luck. That is a separate household tradition. Hogmanay is the broader name for the season’s New Year celebration, while first-footing describes one particular custom practiced in Scotland and elsewhere.