Hogmanay is the Scottish New Year’s Eve celebration famous for torchlight processions and fire festivals in Edinburgh.
The word Hogmanay refers broadly to Scottish New Year customs and celebrations held around December 31 and January 1. Edinburgh’s modern festivities include concerts, street events, and a major torchlight procession, although specific programming can vary from year to year.
Fire has long been an important symbol in Scottish winter celebrations. Torch processions and fire ceremonies connect modern events with older seasonal customs, while music, dancing, and communal gatherings give Hogmanay its contemporary character.
Hogmanay is sometimes treated as simply the Scottish name for New Year’s Eve, but it also describes a distinctive body of traditions. It is separate from Burns Night, which honors poet Robert Burns on January 25, and from Shetland’s Up Helly Aa, a later fire festival.