Which New Year's Eve celebration begins with a torchlight procession from Edinburgh's Old Town?

Edinburgh's Hogmanay begins with a torchlight procession from Edinburgh's Old Town.

The Torchlight Procession is a signature opening event of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay program. Participants walk through the historic city center carrying flaming torches, creating a moving river of light before the main New Year festivities. The route and operational details can vary, but the procession is closely tied to the festival’s opening celebrations.

Edinburgh’s Old Town is the medieval part of the city, including the Royal Mile and streets leading toward Holyrood. Its historic architecture gives the procession a distinctive setting and helps connect the modern festival with Scotland’s older winter customs.

The torchlight event is not the midnight celebration itself. Edinburgh’s wider Hogmanay program also includes concerts, a street party and fireworks. Hogmanay is the Scottish term for New Year’s Eve, so the procession is one component of a broader multi-day festival rather than a separate holiday.