Lady’s Hogmanay in Edinburgh Guide

Today I want to bring you my guide to Hogmanay in Edinburgh, Scotland. This celebration isn’t just a fancy name for New Year’s Eve. It encompasses three days of festivities filled with torchlight processions, street parties, fireworks, concerts, ceilidhs, and competitions.

Hogmanay in Edinburgh

Getting invited on a press trip to spend Hogmanay in Edinburgh was particularly special for me.

Not only is Edinburgh one of the best places for New Year’s Eve in the UK, but my grandparents got married on December 31st and this would have been their wedding anniversary.

Given my grandmother was born and raised in Scotland, it felt like a good way to pay homage to their memories.

Torchlight Procession for Hogmanay in Edinburgh

And create some of my own. After checking into my hotel in Edinburgh, I attended one of the most memorable events of Hogmanay in Edinburgh: the torchlight procession.

Thousands of people gathered outside the National Museum of Scotland to participate in the annual tradition of carrying blazing sticks through the streets to Calton Hill.

The Hogmanay torchlight procession was beautiful. The lights gave the whole city a soft orange glow.

At the end there was a short fireworks display where we celebrated the opening of Hogmanay in Edinburgh (and the fact that nobody lit themselves on fire).

New Year’s Eve in Edinburgh

The following day was New Year’s Eve, and Hogmanay was in full swing. The streets were busy with visitors from all over the world who had traveled to Edinburgh to ring in the new year.

Princes Street was cordoned off to make room for a huge street party. The gardens below it were transformed into a concert venue and ceilidh dance floor.

All around, carnival rides lit up the night sky and Edinburgh Castle loomed silently atop its dormant volcano.

Just before midnight, the music stopped and the New Year’s Eve countdown was followed by a short fireworks show and a rousing rendition of “Auld Lang Syne” for Hogmanay in Edinburgh.

Overall it was a good evening. It was a bit crowded at times and the headlining band—a one-hit wonder from the 80s—was a bit of a let-down given the high profile of the event.

But it was so cold by the time the clock struck 12 most people were ready to head indoors anyway.

Dogmanay in Edinburgh

Speaking of cold, on New Year’s Day Hogmany in Edinburgh continued with a series of outdoor events that required varying degrees of warm clothing.

I chose to attend Dogmanay, which, as the name implies, was a canine-themed festival in Holyrood Park.

From sled racing competitions to pavilions featuring dog toys and face painting (for humans, thankfully), the year kicked off with lots of furry excitement.

Loony Dook

Not far from there, the annual Loony Dook took place. Over a thousand people gathered along the shores of the Firth of Forth, some dressed in crazy costumes, and some just plain crazy themselves.

I say this because all of them jumped in for a swim in the freezing water!

Hogmanay in Edinburgh

Crazy or not, the Loony Dook was a creative finish to three days of celebrations.

Spending Hogmanay in Edinburgh was something I’d wanted to do for a long time, and I was happy to have had the chance, especially on such a special New Year’s Eve for my family.

But my trip to Scotland wasn’t over yet. I was off on a Scottish Highlands tour next. It was going to take me to the Isle of Skye, St Andrews, and Auchterarder. To be continued…

My Hogmanay trip was sponsored by Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, Visit Scotland, ETAG, Edinburgh Festivals, Haggis Adventures, and Skyscanner. Opinions are my own.

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