In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Edinburgh’s Hogmanay (the Scots word for New Year’s Eve) has four ticketed days. The Torchlight Procession is on Tuesday 29 December 2026 at 18:30 (from £8.50), The Fratellis play the Night Afore Party on 30 December (from £42), and on 31 December there is the Street Party on Princes Street from 20:00 and Hogmanay in the Gardens with Underworld (from £79). First Footin’ on 1 January is free. Buy only from edinburghshogmanay.com, Ticketmaster or tickets-scotland.com: the organiser says tickets on Eventbrite and secondary sites are not valid. Or book an evening tour: the Evening Underground Ghost Tourad is from £19 for 75 minutes.
⚠️ The rules. The Street Party, Hogmanay in the Gardens and the Night Afore Party are strictly 12+. No glass, umbrellas, chairs, dogs or bags larger than A3. Alcohol may be brought to the Street Party only in plastic or cans of up to 500 ml, four a person, and not to the other two. There is no re-admittance.
The four days
| Event | Date and time | Where | Tickets from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Torchlight Procession | Tuesday 29 December, 18:30 | Starts at The Meadows, through the Old Town | £8.50 |
| Night Afore Party | Wednesday 30 December, 18:00 | West Princes Street Gardens | £42 |
| Street Party | Thursday 31 December, from 20:00 | Princes Street and the city centre | On the ticket page |
| Hogmanay in the Gardens | Thursday 31 December, doors 20:00 | West Princes Street Gardens | £79 |
| First Footin’ | Friday 1 January | Venues across the city | Free |
The events
Torchlight Procession
Tuesday 29 December, 18:30 · starts at The Meadows · from £8.50 · tickets
A river of fire made by 15,000 torch bearers through the Old Town. Vikings from Shetland’s South Mainland Up Helly Aa’ Jarl Squad and massed pipes and drums lead it, after street theatre and fire performers. You need at least one torch for every two people in your party; extra people need entry wristbands. Each ticket includes a charity donation. It is a family event, but the organiser does not recommend it for under-12s, and under-18s need an adult. A Premium ticket adds pre-event entertainment at McEwan Hall and a separate access lane.
Torch bearers filling an Edinburgh street at Hogmanay. Photo: FloridaNCgirl, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Night Afore Party with The Fratellis
Wednesday 30 December, 18:00 · West Princes Street Gardens · from £42 · 12+ · tickets
The Scottish band The Fratellis, marking 20 years of Costello Music, in a standing concert under the castle. The areas are Enclosure, Gardens and Premium. There are three entrances: the East Gate on Princes Street at The Mound, the West Gate at the West End, and an accessible gate on Kings Stables Road. No alcohol can be brought in, and there is no re-entry.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party
Thursday 31 December, from 20:00 · Princes Street and the city centre · 12+ · tickets
The organiser expects 45,000 people, with the castle behind, live music, DJs, giant screens, street theatre, pipers, drummers, funfair attractions, street food and a firework display. The “from £10” on the event page is the Silent Disco add-on, not the Street Party ticket; the ticket price is on the ticket page. Under-16s need a full-price ticket and an adult over 18. You may bring alcohol in plastic containers or cans of up to 500 ml, four a person, and nothing in glass, and stewards search bags at the gate. Pay bars and food outlets are inside.
Fireworks over Edinburgh Castle at New Year. Photo: M J Richardson, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Hogmanay in the Gardens with Underworld
Thursday 31 December · doors 20:00, stage live 20:50, last entry 23:00 · West Princes Street Gardens · from £79 · 12+ · tickets
A standing concert headlined by Underworld, who will play Born Slippy (Nuxx), with the Midnight Moment fireworks soundtracked live for the first time. You choose the West or the South gate when you buy, and gates cannot be exchanged. No alcohol can be brought in, and there is no re-entry.
First Footin’
Friday 1 January · venues across the city · free, no tickets
A live-music trail through venues in the city.
Tickets and entry
- Official sellers. edinburghshogmanay.com, Ticketmaster and tickets-scotland.com. The organiser says there is no official resale and that tickets on Eventbrite and secondary sites are not valid (organiser’s FAQs). Box offices at Edinburgh’s Christmas open on 14 November: see Christmas in Edinburgh.
- E-tickets. Tickets are paperless, emailed with a QR code. All tickets in an order are validated at the first scan, so the whole party arrives together. Phone signal can be poor in the crowd, so save the ticket to your phone’s wallet.
- Gifting. A gifted ticket needs a signed letter of authority and the recipient’s photo ID.
- Not allowed. Glass, umbrellas, chairs, dogs (assistance dogs by arrangement), drones, flares, Chinese lanterns, laser pens and bags larger than A3. Cameras are for personal use only; professional equipment is not allowed.
- Ages. Hogmanay in the Gardens, the Street Party and the Night Afore Party are strictly 12+, and under-16s need a full-price ticket and an adult over 18. The Torchlight Procession, the Bairns Hogmanay Family Ceilidh and Sprogmanay are the family events.
- Dress. The events are outdoors and standing. December averages 7.0°C by day and 1.4°C at night, and the sun sets at 15:46 on 31 December (Met Office, 1991 to 2020).
Where to stay for Hogmanay
The links go to the hotel on Hotels.com. Where to stay in Edinburgh compares the areas and explains the visitor levy, a 5% charge on the first five nights, and hotels near the Royal Mile lists the hotels round the Old Town.
The Balmoral
1 Princes Street · 186 rooms · two Michelin Keys · Hotels.comad
At the east end of Princes Street, where the Street Party is held, and over Waverley station. Its whisky bar holds over 500 malts.
Gleneagles Townhouse
39 St Andrew Square · 33 rooms · two Michelin Keys · Hotels.comad
A stone’s throw from Waverley, on the square at the east end of the New Town, 0.3 km from the station. Guests can use the members’ rooftop bar.
The Old Waverley Hotel
43 Princes Street, EH2 2BY · Hotels.comad
A hotel on Princes Street, about 0.4 km from St Giles’ Cathedral, which describes itself as Victorian charm with modern comforts and traditional décor.
Planning
- Getting home. Lothian’s NightBus runs from midnight to 04:30 every day, and the Airlink 100 airport bus runs 24 hours: see Edinburgh public transport and Edinburgh airport to the city.
- Closed days. Edinburgh Castle opens at 11:00 on 1 January. The Royal Yacht Britannia, the Royal Botanic Garden and Rosslyn Chapel are closed on 1 January: see the best time to visit Edinburgh.
- Before the party. Edinburgh’s Christmas runs to 3 January: see Christmas in Edinburgh.
Next
Edinburgh in one or two days sets the sights in order, and where to eat in Edinburgh and afternoon tea in Edinburgh cover the meals. For the rest of winter, see the best time to visit Edinburgh, which has Burns Night on 25 January. Dublin’s New Year festival is in Dublin on New Year’s Eve.
Common questions
What is Hogmanay?
The Scots word for New Year's Eve and the celebrations around it. Edinburgh's Hogmanay 2026/27 has four days of ticketed events, from the Torchlight Procession on 29 December to the Street Party and Hogmanay in the Gardens on 31 December, and a free First Footin' music trail on 1 January.
Where do I buy Hogmanay tickets in Edinburgh?
From edinburghshogmanay.com, Ticketmaster or tickets-scotland.com. The organiser says there is no official resale and that tickets on Eventbrite and secondary sites are not valid. Tickets are e-tickets only.
How much is the Edinburgh Hogmanay Street Party?
The ticket price is on the organiser's ticket page. The 'from £10' on the event page is the price of the Silent Disco add-on, not of the Street Party ticket. The organiser expects 45,000 people on Princes Street and the city centre on 31 December from 20:00.
Can I take alcohol to the Street Party?
Yes, but only in plastic containers or cans of up to 500 ml, with a maximum of four per person, and no glass. Alcohol cannot be brought into Hogmanay in the Gardens or the Night Afore Party.
Can children go to Hogmanay in Edinburgh?
The Torchlight Procession is a family event, though the organiser does not recommend it for under-12s. The Street Party, Hogmanay in the Gardens and the Night Afore Party are strictly 12+; under-16s need a full-price ticket and an adult over 18.
What can I not bring to the Hogmanay events?
No glass, umbrellas, chairs, dogs (except assistance dogs), drones, flares, Chinese lanterns, laser pens or bags larger than A3. Hogmanay in the Gardens and the Street Party have no re-admittance.
