Experience Hogmanay in Edinburgh
You’ve probably got an idea of what Scotland’s traditional New Year’s Eve celebration on December 31 is all about. You’d better supersize those ideas.
This cuddly, Caledonian, cockeyed party is, in fact, a nearly week-long festival beginning shortly after Christmas and running long after the bells ring out at midnight on January 1.
History of Hogmanay
The reason Hogmanay has become the preeminent holiday in Scotland is simple. In 1640, during the Protestant Reformation, a law was passed that made celebrating “Yule vacations” illegal in Scotland—and Christmas celebrations remained legally banned for almost 300 years thereafter. There was no public holiday on December 25; punishments for violating the rules were harsh. Enter Hogmanay to satisfy Scots’ need for a proper end-of-the-year party.
Over centuries, the idea of Hogmanay has expanded beyond measure. Like St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin, Mardi Gras in New Orleans, or Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, the annual festivities have become an unabashed celebration of Scottish culture in all its forms, with Edinburgh as the epicenter of ceaseless jubilation, street ceilidhs, and single-malt whisky drinking. The Scots have embraced all this with gusto, regardless of how creative some Hogmanay-related events might be. It definitely helps that the Scottish capital is such a picturesque venue for a giant, week-long party. High spirits are guaranteed.
Experience Hogmanay in Edinburgh
The promise of a once-in-a-lifetime party is reason enough for thousands of visitors to annually make Edinburgh their number-one option to ring in the New Year. Record attendance was set in the mid-1990s, when over 300,000 revelers filled the city center for the free-for-all street party. However, with this volume of people, advance planning is strongly recommended—and the smart move is to get organized months in advance.
To begin with, check your accommodation options. From swank hotels to simple hostels and smart Airbnbs, rates soar during Hogmanay, with the cheapest options often selling out over a year in advance. You’ll also want to secure tickets for the main street party, torchlit parade, and other highlight events as soon as your lodging is confirmed. Though staying in the Old Town is popular, it is the priciest area; neighborhoods like the West End, Stockbridge, Bruntsfield, and Leith are just as attractive. Best of all, pubs and bars throughout the city become destinations in themselves—ensuring there’s always a place to continue the festivities.
The Warm-Up
The day before New Year’s Eve sees the city bathed in fire and light as a torchlit procession, celebrating Scotland’s pagan and Gaelic roots, winds its way through the Old Town to Holyrood Park. With a ticket, participants receive a wax-based torch and are invited to join a family-friendly procession of enthusiastic firebugs.
The Main Event
Year’s end sees a 70,000-strong international tartan army cramming onto Princes Street to ceilidh and enjoy whisky, before everyone dances to bands and DJs throughout the city. As the celebration culminates, Edinburgh Castle lights up in a flurry of fireworks while masses sing “Auld Lang Syne” and toast the midnight bells with more whisky.
Running parallel to this are various ticketed events, from themed ceilidhs to marquee folk and rock concerts to family fireworks shows held beneath Castle Rock in Princes Street Gardens. While some events are free, the contemporary nature of Hogmanay means that many are individually ticketed, with booking details available on official platforms.
It’s important to remember that December often features the year’s harshest weather conditions in Scotland. Therefore, if you prepare for wet, windy, dark, and cold weather—with temperatures around 0°C (32°F)—you won’t leave disappointed.
To facilitate easy transport and promote responsible drinking, local operator Lothian Buses runs late-night services throughout Hogmanay, as does Edinburgh Trams, which connects Edinburgh Airport to Leith via Princes Street and St Andrew’s Square.
The Day After
Feeling hungover? You’re not alone. Many Scots participate in the Loony Dook, a chilly fancy-dress swim where participants plunge into the frigid waters of South Queensferry beneath the iconic Forth Rail Bridge. This spectacle perfectly pairs an impressive feat of engineering with a bit of cheeky bravado—all in the name of charity.
Getting to and Around Edinburgh
The Scottish capital swells with visitors during the festive period, so accommodation should be booked long in advance. The Hogmanay festival typically runs from December 28/29 through January 1/2.
Hogmanay Ticket Costs
Tickets range from £25 (for access to the main December 31 street party on Princes Street) to £50 (for marquee DJs and chart bands in Princes Street Gardens).
Hogmanay in the Rest of Scotland
While Edinburgh is Scotland’s premier destination for New Year festivities, prices are often lower and queues shorter elsewhere. In Glasgow, for example, tradition dictates that Hogmanay is a smaller but equally vibrant celebration, featuring pubs and dancing at the ticketed event in George Square beside Queen Street Station. Alternatively, revelers can enjoy a lively atmosphere on surrounding streets with a “carry oot” from the off-license (note that Buckfast is the local choice). A late night often follows with a leisurely breakfast, leading to strolls around Glasgow Cathedral and the Necropolis, or a saunter through Kelvingrove Park in the West End. Subsequently, you can continue the celebration in the Merchant City or Finnieston, both known for their lively pubs and eclectic bars.
Equally, cities like Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth, and Inverness offer similar street party experiences, complete with bands, DJs, ceilidhs, and raucous countdowns to midnight. However, for something entirely different, consider celebrating in the Shetland Islands.
Up Helly Aa, held at the end of January, might occur post-New Year celebrations, yet this European giant of a fire festival both signals the end of the Yule season and taps into the island’s Norse heritage. The night concludes with the spectacular Jarl squad parade, where an army of ax-wielding Vikings set fire to a replica longboat.
First Footing and Other Hogmanay Traditions
Traditionally, the first person to enter a house after midnight brings good fortune for the year ahead, and gifts representing food, flavor, and warmth are shared. If invited to a party, consider bringing shortbread, whisky, or even a lump of coal as a gesture of goodwill.
Torchlit processions and fire displays are integral to Scotland’s Hogmanay traditions. While Edinburgh hosts its flame procession along the historic High Street, Stonehaven’s unique Fireball Ceremony distinctly marks the turn of the year. In contrast to many cities worldwide, where swinging a fiery ball around your head would lead to serious consequences, this tradition is wholeheartedly embraced in this Aberdeenshire harbor town—providing a perfect outlet for pyromaniacs.
Perhaps it’s the heartfelt message of forgiveness and kindness in “Auld Lang Syne” or merely an excuse to gather affectionately, but Scotland’s passion for singing Robert Burns’ iconic poem at Hogmanay is unparalleled. This Scots-language composition is the heartbeat of every pub and party, and the singing—along with joyous swaying—intensifies as the song reaches its climax.
