Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebration traditionally features a torchlight procession through the streets before New Year’s Eve.
The Edinburgh Torchlight Procession is a prominent event in the city’s Hogmanay program. Participants carry torches through central Edinburgh, creating a moving river of light against the city’s historic streets and skyline. The procession is held before the main New Year celebrations, rather than being the midnight countdown itself.
The modern event draws on Scotland’s winter fire customs and uses a large public parade format. Its route and organization can change, and editions may be affected by weather, safety planning, or public-health restrictions. The procession commonly ends with a ceremonial gathering or bonfire-related finale, depending on the year.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay also includes concerts, street events, and fireworks near Edinburgh Castle. Those activities are related but not identical: the torchlight procession is the specific pre-celebration event that identifies the city’s program. The name Hogmanay itself refers to Scottish New Year festivities more broadly, not only Edinburgh’s events.