The Best Place to Welcome in the New Year!

The historic city of Edinburgh is where the world famous celebrations of the Scottish Hogmanay take place and the best place to welcome in the New Year. Edinburgh is world renowned for it’s New Year street parties and exciting events.

The official program of events includes live bands, street entertainment, dance stages, a spectacular fireworks display, a fun fair, and hundreds of thousands of revelers welcoming in the New Year. The Princes St ‘Street Party’ is the biggest celebration of New Year in Europe.

Hogmanay is what we Scots peculiarly call New Year’s Eve. Even we’re not sure where the name comes from, with several theories prevalent, but suffice to say that what it means nowadays is a great big party with lots of alcohol and glitter. And some more alcohol.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay party has been voted as among the top 5 parties in the world and the Times called it the best Millennium party in the world after the 2000 event. The Torchlight Procession on the 29th has 12,000 torchbearers following a 40ft Viking Longboat down the High Street and up to Calton Hill, where they set the boat on fire and party. On the 30th, the Night Afore Fiesta on George Street is a dance spectacular. The climax is the big Street Party on New Year’s Eve, when 100,000 people hit the city centre to party in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle and watch the spectacular Seven Hills Fireworks display at midnight.

Tickets for this are like gold dust. Many Edinburgh locals will stick with tradition and head for the Tron Kirk, which was the focal point for many years before the big Princes Street gig got going. If you can stand the cold, (and with enough whisky in you, trust me, you can stand the cold), this is another of those high point life experiences that only Edinburgh offers. Those not feeling too hung over the next day can head for Holyrood Park either to try out various urban sports or watch Husky racing. The insane amongst you may even be tempted by the “loony dook”, a mass lemming act of people jumping into the River Forth.