Edinburgh is home to the Hogmanay torchlight procession traditionally held before New Year's Eve.
Edinburgh's Hogmanay program has included a large torchlight procession through the city before the main New Year's celebrations. Participants carry flaming torches through streets toward a central gathering, creating a visual link between older fire customs and the modern festival.
The procession is associated with Edinburgh's internationally known Hogmanay celebrations, which also include concerts, street parties, fireworks, and a midnight gathering near Edinburgh Castle. Events and routes can change from year to year, so the torchlight procession should not be treated as an identical ceremony every time.
Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Dundee also have Scottish New Year's traditions, but Edinburgh is the city most strongly associated with this major organized torchlight event. It is also distinct from Shetland's Up Helly Aa, a separate winter fire festival with Viking-themed elements.