Hogmany Celebrations in Edinburgh

When you think of Scotland in connection withit’s displayed during Hogmanay too with
celebrations, probably the first one that comes tovarious events taking place across the city centre,
people’s minds is Hogmanay – theand ending on the 1st of January 2009 with a new
Scottish New Year celebration. It’s certainlycelebration called Feet First which has been created
one of the largest and most lavish festivalto be a new and innovative event bringing together
celebrations of the year in Scotland, and nowhereover 120 performance artists and 13 new pieces of
more so than in Edinburgh.work. It takes place on the Royal Mile which is
Every year since 1992 Edinburgh has celebratedknown for it’s street theatre through the
Hogmanay in real style beginning with a wonderfulages.
torchlit procession through the city centre streets,Drinking and eating are big parts of Hogmanay
and ending after several days of intense partying.culture, and you’ll find plenty of festive fayre
The torchlight procession is rather wonderful to see,available across the city in the various restaurants,
with hundreds of torches of fire being carried in a linefrom turkey dinners, to Scottish smoked salmon,
through the city centre. Fire has long been a part oftraditional black bun and lots more. A wee dram of
traditional Hogmanay celebrations, it is said thatwhisky doesn’t go down badly either, and
carrying forward a flame you are burning away theanyone who’s tall and dark haired may find
old to make space for the new, and bringing the lightthemselves in demand as a ‘first
of knowledge from one year into the next. So thisfooter’ – another Scottish tradition said
procession is just a modern take on a very longto bring good luck to households when the first
standing tradition.person to cross the threshold of the home in the
Street parties take place everywhere across theNew Year is a tall dark haired stranger bearing a gift
city, and in the city centre a ticket can be purchasedof black bun or coal.
that allows you to partake in various events on NewAt midnight when the pipes have played, and the
Years Eve itself. Actually this is so much a part ofbells of the clocks have chimed to tell everyone that
the Hogmanay festivities in the area that manythe New Year is now here, you’ll hear the
hotels offer a Street Party Pass as part of theplace resounding with cheers and loud voices joined
package deal you buy when you stay with them attogether in song singing the most traditional song of
this time of year. Many also offer special meals andthe Hogmanay festival Auld Lang Syne. A song
other treats too. If you’ve not stayed inthat’s carried it’s voice far across the
Edinburgh during hogmanay before, then expect toworld and become part of many New Years
party hard and have a lot of fun.celebrations everywhere.
Street theatre is a big part of Edinburgh culture and