A Guide to Hogmanay Celebrations in Edinburgh
5 December 2024
Discover how you can enjoy the Hogmanay Celebrations in Edinburgh.
Read on to learn about this annual Edinburgh street party and how
you can make the most of your time in the city with Bright Bus Tours.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Celebrations
If you’re looking to ring in the new year in the Scottish capital, you’ll be glad to hear that there are plenty of activities you can do during the Hogmanay celebration in Scotland. The world-renowned Hogmanay Festival is great for any travellers and locals looking to warm up their Christmas season with some fun festivities.
From a street party to a midnight fireworks display, the Hogmanay Festival offers many different ways to fill your days with celebration.
What is Edinburgh’s Hogmanay?
In Edinburgh, New Year’s Eve is celebrated with an event called ‘Hogmanay’. Hogmanay is simply a Scottish word for ‘New Year’s Eve’. During the Scottish Reformation, Scots couldn’t celebrate Christmas for over 400 years. After Protestant views were adopted, a complete ban on the holiday slowly crept in. Nowadays, the festive season in Scotland is one of the most magical times of the year.
Hogmanay in Edinburgh originated in 1993, welcoming thousands of revellers every year to enjoy the celebration. The festival spans across several cities throughout Scotland. In 1996-97, this Edinburgh New Year festival was recognised as the biggest celebrated New Year’s Eve party in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records.
Hogmanay Events in Edinburgh
Although Edinburgh’s Hogmanay technically only takes place on one day, the celebrations last for about three or four days in total. With a wide variety of festivities, there are many events that you and your friends can enjoy to extend the festive period around Christmas and the winter solstice.
If you’re planning to spend New Year’s Day or New Year’s Eve in Edinburgh, you definitely won’t struggle to find activities. Here’s a list of fun things to do in Edinburgh for Hogmanay.
Join the Outdoor Street Party
One of the most exciting Hogmanay events in Edinburgh is the famous outdoor street party in the city centre. On New Year’s Eve, thousands of people from around the country (and further) gather on Princes Street to enjoy a parade, music and other festivities.
You can look forward to lots of dancing, feasting on street food, and plenty of fanfare with bells, live theatre and big screens displaying all the fun. This does mean that the street party can get quite busy at times, but the crowd of fellow party-goers only makes the experience more memorable.
Follow the Torchlight Procession
If you want to get involved in even more of the action, you may choose to join the torchlight procession. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations include a torchlight procession that goes on for about 1.2 miles and finishes beneath the Edinburgh Castle.
Up Helly Aa Vikings lead a procession of around 20,000 people through the streets, along with drummers and bagpipers. If you join in on the procession, you probably won’t get to watch the Vikings leading the pack. However, you and your friends will have a blast whether you participate or spectate.
Attend a Live New Year’s Eve Concert
The Hogmanay celebrations are probably most well known for the live headlining musical performance that takes place every year on New Year’s Eve. This event forms part of the street party, with live music played by some of Scotland’s most famous musicians. Aptly named ‘Concert in the Gardens’, the show takes place in the Princes Street Gardens.
The show leads the crowd into New Year’s Day with the countdown to midnight. A ticket gives you access to outdoor bars and food vendors – so you can easily pick up a glass of whisky to keep you warm while you dance. There are also dedicated bathrooms on the grounds. This means that all you need to celebrate in comfort is provided right inside the premises of Princes Street Gardens.
Admire the Fireworks
The Hogmanay fireworks display is one of the most beloved parts of the New Year’s celebrations. At the stroke of midnight, bells ring out and signal a stream of fireworks to be released. Thousands of revellers from around the world come to celebrate the festive season under these fireworks.
Taking place above the castle, pyrotechnic experts create a magical show of light and colour. This unforgettable display of fireworks is a great way to ring in the New Year with your loved ones and is sure to find a sweet spot in your memories.
Free Culture Trails
If you’re looking for free events in Edinburgh, you can take advantage of the free culture trails while you travel around the city during the festive season. On these trails, you can learn more about how Scotland celebrates the winter solstice and other facts about the country’s heritage.
You can explore various venues around Edinburgh, from St. Giles Cathedral to The Fruitmarket Gallery. Some free trails include musical performances across multiple popular attractions.
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FAQs About the Hogmanay Festival
If you still have questions about Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Festival,
read our answers to some commonly asked questions below.
Are there any important customs involved in Hogmanay?
Scotland is rich in culture, and this includes many traditional customs that are practised around New Year. One of the most well-celebrated customs is the singing of ‘Auld Lang Syne’. It is customary to celebrate Hogmanay by singing ‘Auld Lang Syne’ after midnight on New Year’s Eve.
First written in a poem by Robert Burns, the lyrics are about recalling adventures with friends. Singing the nostalgic Scottish song on the last day of the year is a great way to reminisce and celebrate the coming year – making it a fitting choice for New Year celebrations.
Where can I buy tickets to the Concert In The Gardens?
If you’re one of the revellers looking to travel to Edinburgh for the Hogmanay Festival, you won’t want to miss the live New Year show. You can purchase a ticket from the Edinburgh Winter Festival website.
This show is very popular with travellers from all around the world, so make sure to book a ticket before they sell out.
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Easily Navigate the Hogmanay Festival with Bright Bus Tours
Bright Bus Tours offers the friendliest hop-on, hop-off bus tour in Scotland. Our best-value service offers select partnership discounts to our customers — so you know you’re getting the most out of our service.
During the Hogmanay festivities, Edinburgh can get crowded and may be confusing for any travellers who are new to the city. Our Britannia Tour and City Tour buses both stop on Princes Street. So, look out for our helpful team when you’re navigating the Hogmanay street party – we’re the ones in orange! We’re happy to offer any advice and information you might need as you explore the city.
If you’re flying in for the festival from out of town, check out our Airport Shuttle Express for the quickest, cheapest way to and from the airport.
Get affordable, convenient shuttle service when you book with Bright Bus Tours.
Book tickets online today and enjoy the brightest way to get to and from the Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh.