Edinburgh's Hogmanay 2026: dates and tickets

Edinburgh celebrates New Year longer and louder than almost any other city in Europe. Hogmanay, the Scottish word for the last day of the year, has become a festival of several days, with fireworks over the castle at midnight. The short answer for 2026/27: the official programme starts with the Torchlight Procession on 29 December, peaks with the Street Party and Hogmanay in the Gardens on 31 December from 20:00, and ends with the free First Footin' music trail on 1 January.

Edinburgh's Hogmanay 2026/27: the programme

All events and times from the official Edinburgh's Hogmanay website, as of October 2026 (see sources). Hogmanay in the Gardens ends with the Midnight Moment fireworks.

The events

Torchlight Procession (29 December). The opening of the festival: thousands of torch bearers walk through the city centre; the organisers describe it as "a river of fire". It is the event of the programme that works best for families – the organisers list it among the family-friendly events.

Night Afore Party (30 December). A concert beneath Edinburgh Castle, this year with The Fratellis. A good choice if you arrive early and want a big night out before the main event.

Street Party (31 December). The big open-air party in the city centre, with stages, bars and food stalls, and the fireworks from the castle at midnight. It is all-standing and outdoors, so dress for a long, cold night.

Hogmanay in the Gardens (31 December). The concert in Princes Street Gardens directly below the castle, this year with Underworld, ending with the Midnight Moment fireworks. The Gardens have the closest view of the fireworks.

First Footin' (1 January). A free, unticketed live music trail on New Year's Day. "First footing" is the Scottish custom of being the first to cross a friend's threshold in the new year, and the trail takes its name from it.

Tickets and rules

The essentials from the official FAQ:

• Where to buy: online on the official website, at Ticketmaster and at Tickets Scotland, and in person at the box offices of Edinburgh's Christmas from 14 November. All tickets are e-tickets.
• Age: the Street Party, Hogmanay in the Gardens and the Night Afore Party are strictly 12+. Anyone under 16 needs a full-price ticket and must be accompanied by an adult over 18.
• No resale: reselling tickets is prohibited, and resold tickets may be cancelled. You can give tickets as a gift with a signed letter of authority; the recipient brings it along with photo ID.
• No readmittance: once you leave the Street Party or the Gardens, you cannot get back in.
• What not to bring: no glass, no umbrellas, no chairs, no professional cameras, no drones, and no bags larger than an A3 sheet. Stewards search bags at the entrance.
• Alcohol: at the Street Party only in plastic containers or cans up to 500 ml, at most four per person. No alcohol may be brought into the Gardens or the Night Afore Party.

Weather at New Year

Averages 2015–2024 from the ERA5 reanalysis (via Open-Meteo), rounded.

December is Edinburgh's wettest month in these averages, and around the solstice the city gets only about seven hours of daylight. Since umbrellas are not allowed at the events, a waterproof jacket with a hood, warm layers and sturdy shoes are the basic kit. YesTrip shows you the forecast for your actual travel days and suggests matching clothes in the packing list.

Getting there

From London, Edinburgh is about an hour and a half by plane, or four and a half hours by train on the East Coast line. From Edinburgh Airport, trams and the Airlink bus run into the city centre; our guide Edinburgh Airport to the city centre compares them. Trains within the UK are easy to compare at train tickets to Edinburgh^* (Omio).

Where to stay

• Old Town: right by the Royal Mile and the castle, the most atmospheric, but loud and expensive at New Year.
• New Town: elegant Georgian streets, a short walk from the Street Party and Princes Street Gardens.
• Leith: by the water, calmer and often cheaper, with a tram connection to the centre.

Hotels for 30 and 31 December fill up early; book as soon as you have your tickets. If you arrive on the morning of the 31st and your room is not ready, there is luggage storage in Edinburgh^* (Radical Storage). From outside the UK, a travel eSIM for the UK^* (Airalo) is usually cheaper than roaming; our eSIM price index compares prices per gigabyte.

A few days around New Year

Hogmanay fits well into a short city break: the castle, the Royal Mile, a walk up Calton Hill or Arthur's Seat in the short daylight, and an evening in one of the old pubs. Before Christmas, our guide to the Edinburgh Christmas market 2026 has the dates of Edinburgh's Christmas, and how many days in Edinburgh helps you plan the rest.

Edinburgh trip planDay by day, with map and tips

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