Which New Year’s Eve event in Edinburgh is known for a torchlight procession through the Scottish capital?

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is the New Year’s Eve event in Edinburgh known for a torchlight procession through the Scottish capital.

The procession is one part of a large festival that typically spans several days around December 31. Participants carry torches through the city, creating a moving river of light before other events such as concerts, street celebrations, fireworks, and the midnight countdown.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay developed into a major organized public celebration in the modern era, building on Scotland’s long-standing Hogmanay customs. The city’s historic streets, hills, and monuments provide a distinctive setting, while the event attracts visitors from Britain and abroad.

The festival should not be confused with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which is primarily a summer arts festival, or the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a separate August event. Hogmanay is the Scottish New Year celebration, and Edinburgh’s version is especially associated with its torchlight procession and large-scale public programming.