In Scotland, New Year’s Eve is its own special celebration called Hogmanay. It’s Scotland’s biggest winter festival, much bigger than Christmas in terms of festivities. This three- to four-day New Year’s Eve party begins with a spectacular torchlight procession and a fire festival. In some cases, there is even a special celebration for dogs called Dogmanay. Hogmanay is held every year from December 30 to January 1 in Edinburgh and across the country.
Edinburgh Hogmanay
The biggest Hogmanay celebration is in Edinburgh. This is what you can expect there:
- The Torchlight Procession Choose your starting point and purchase a ticket online to join the River of Fire that starts at Hogmanay on December 30 at 7 pm Thousands of people carry wax-lit torches in a procession that winds through the city from Edinburgh. In previous years, up to 50,000 people participated. And despite all that fire, the event is safe and kid-friendly.
- The Ceilidh below the castle The Ceilidh is a giant open-air Edinburgh New Year’s Eve celebration of traditional Scottish music and dance. The entertainment is different every year, and tickets cost around £ 60. The settlement is a great place to watch the fireworks at midnight.
- The Street Party One of Hogmanay’s biggest events is the Street Party, which includes a pop concert on three stages around the city center. Edinburgh Street Party is considered by many to be the biggest and best open air party in the world with live music, DJs, street entertainment and of course the incredible fireworks display at Edinburgh Castle.
- Concert in the Gardens The Concert in the Gardens is a major ticketed event held in a purpose-built venue in Princes Street Gardens. For the 2018/2019 celebrations, Franz Ferdinand was the protagonist.
- The Loony Dook Between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on January 1, New Years Day, anyone foolish enough to dress up in a fun costume and jump into the icy waters of the Firth of Fourth can take a dip in the Moorings, in South Queensferry. , near the famous Forth Bridge. Loony Dook is no longer free, but ticket proceeds generally go to a local charity.
- Bairns Afore In 2018, a special New Years Eve program called Bairns Afore was added for children to bring even the smallest members of the family to the festivities. Starting at 5pm, the west end of Princes Street Gardens below the castle turns into family entertainment and spectacular early ‘bedtime’ fireworks. Tickets start at £ 10. And even the youngest children can celebrate midnight to noon with a special edition of Edinburgh Festival’s popular Baby Loves Disco Hogmanay, with two hours of Hogmanay ‘nightclub’ for babies and toddlers starting from 1 pm
How Other Scottish Cities Celebrate Hogmanay
- Oban Hogmanay – Scotland’s West Highland seaside resort holds public events every two years and the New Year is always important. Expect concerts, fireworks, and other celebrations. The atmosphere in the city is very lively, with most of the pubs and bars having extended hours until 3am or later. Many operate a “lockdown” with no one admitted after midnight. Ferries and boats in the harbor add to the din and there’s plenty of well-lubricated Scottish cheer on the streets. Don’t expect an early night.
- Stirling Hogmanay: Stirling plans its largest midnight fireworks display on the walls of Stirling Castle (grounds open from 10:45 p.m. to 12:15 a.m.) and a pre-show at 9 p.m. for families (grounds from 7:45 a.m. at 9 pm). The drummers and pipers will keep everyone entertained while they wait for the fireworks and there will be food and hot drinks and a bar on sale. Tickets are available on the Stirling Winter Festival website.
- Biggar Bonfire – A huge bonfire in the center of this small town starts around 9:30 p.m. M. On New Year’s Eve. This bonfire is so big that they actually start to stockpile the fuel cell for the Hogmanay ignition on December 1st. If you have a hint of pyromania in you, you will love it.
- Stonehaven Fireball Festival: 60 protesters spin 16-pound fireballs around their heads in a dramatic and terrifying spectacle on New Years Eve. At one point, only men born in the Stonehaven district could participate. Today, people who have lived there for several years and served as parade commissioners can apply to participate. And quite a few women can spin the huge, heavy fireball around their heads too.
- Burghead Hogmanay – The Burning of the Clavie: Held on January 11 (also known as The Old New Year), this is a ritual fire ceremony involving the burning of barrels and shows to cool the heart of anyone who has seen the movie. horror cult The Wicker Man .
- Comrie Flambeau Procession – A torchlight procession involving thousands of people, many of them in costumes. Comrie Flambeau torches are generally at least 10 feet tall and are made from suckers wrapped in burlap cloth or tar-soaked hop cloth. No one really knows how far back this event goes back, but some people claim that it is of pagan origin.
- Dufftown – If you’re doing a bit of whiskey touring and are in the Speyside whiskey region on New Years Eve, head to Dufftown, the capital of Speyside, to see in the New Years. Just before the stroke of midnight, the local distillery and shortbread maker gives away free drams and shortbread to “wet the baby’s head” as they say.
