Edinburgh Hogmanay: All the Hogmanay events taking place in Edinburgh including rugby and torchlight procession

Edinburgh events to celebrate the end of 2023 and the upcoming New Year of 2024

A host of events are taking place in Edinburgh this weekend to mark the end of 2023 and the coming of 2024, including the world-famous Princes Street party and concert in the gardens - headlined this year by Pulp.

With so much to see and do over the coming days, here’s a comprehensive guide to the best events happening in Edinburgh this Hogmanay.

Torchlight Procession

Edinburgh host Glasgow at Murrayfield on Saturday. Photo: SNS

The opening event of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2023 is the return of the spectacular Torchlight Procession on Friday night, December 29, which gets started at 7.30pm, creating a spectacular sight in the city centre. Join 20,000 participants to create a river of fire through Edinburgh’s historic Old Town to the majestic backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, amongst a carnival of pipers, drummers, fire, and fanfare. The procession has a new route this year, starting at the Meadows for the first time and ending in the shadows of Edinburgh Castle at Castle Terrace. Tickets are £20 to walk the route with a torch and £6 to participate without a torch, with £2 going to charity partner Social Bite.

Comedy

Ho-Ho-Hogmanay presents a side-splitting night of live stand-up comedy on Friday, December 29, from the best acts on the comedy circuit. Hosted by Emmanuel Sonubi and featuring Fred MacAulay, Susie McCabe and Larry Dean, this event takes place at the Assembly Rooms, George Street from 8pm until 9.30pm. Tickets for this 18 and over event are still available, at £25.

Movies

Edinburgh is set to party this weekend as part of the Hogmanay celebrations in the Capital. Photo by Jane Barlow/ PA.

The Edinburgh’s Christmas Piccolo Tent in St Andrew’s Square will show Scottish movies throughout Saturday, December 30, with admission to all showings costing £10 each. The day kicks off at 1pm with From Scotland With Love. Described as an analogue film for the digital age and made entirely of Scottish film archive, From Scotland With Love is a 75-minute film by award-winning Director Virginia Heath with a transcendent score by Scottish musician and composer King Creosote.

Next up, at 2.45pm, is 80s classic Gregory’s Girl. Gregory (John Gordon Sinclair) and his friends at school are starting to notice girls –particularly Dorothy (Dee Hepburn), not least because she’s on the football team and is a better player than all the boys.

The third and final instalment of these Scottish Cinema Series movies to be shown is Edinburgh-set 90s classic Trainspotting, at 5pm. Danny Boyle's explosive film tracks the misadventures of Edinburgh outcasts trying to find their way out of joblessness, aimless relationships and drug addiction.

Night Afore Concert

Fireworks will be launched from Edinburgh Castle at midnight during the Hogmanay New Year celebrations in Edinburgh. Photo: Jane Barlow/ PA.

Internationally acclaimed ABBA sensations Björn Again will headline the Night Afore Disco Party with Greatest Hits Radio beneath Edinburgh Castle at the Ross Bandstand, joined by the fringe festival smash-hit Massaoke, for the ultimate party night out. A set list of pop classics and disco hits will be the name of the game when Björn Again takes to the Princes Street Gardens stage at the Night Afore Disco Party on Saturday, 30 December. With over 5,500 performances across 72 countries, it is a return to Scotland's capital’s celebrations for the Australian ABBA show, which first played at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay in 2000/01.

Tickets are still available for this concert, costing £30 and £35. With the event kicking off at 6.30pm on Saturday, December 30.

Night Afore Hoolie

This special event, headlined by folk band Blue Rose Code, takes place on Saturday, December 30 from 8pm until 10pm, with doors opening at 7pm, at the Edinburgh Hogmanay Festival Club, Assembly Rooms, George Street. Blue Rose Code will be joined on-stage by some very special guest collaborators to be announced. Tickets, costing £30 are still on sale. Please note that this event is for age 14 and over only.

Jarvis Cocker of Pulp will be in Edinburgh for Hogmanay, performing at the Concert in the Gardens on Sunday, December 31. Photo by Victoria Jones/ PA.

Rugby

The Edinburgh versus Glasgow Warriors rugby match takes place on Saturday at Murrayfield at 3pm, with a record crowd of 33,000 expected, although there are still tickets left. The clubs play each other home and away every year over the festive period. Glasgow won the first leg 22-10, so take a 12-point lead into the second leg at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Bairns New Year Revels

A special Bairns New Year Revels on Sunday, December 31, 2pm until 3.30pm, allows young party-goers a chance to join the Hogmanay celebrations, a family-friendly edition from festival favourites Massaoke providing a live band sing-a-long soundtrack of kids' favourite party tunes. With live music and dancing, with kids birlin’ off energy to the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay ceilidh band, live DJ, and more! Tickets are £17.50 for adults and £14.50 for kids. The event takes place at Assembly Rooms, George Street. Recommend for aged six and over, under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult over 18.

Candlelit Concert at St Giles' Cathedral

A festive celebration seeing in the New Year in the candlelit atmosphere of St Giles' Cathedral on Sunday, December 31, 6.30pm until 8pm, as it celebrates its 900th anniversary in 2024. This year’s concert marks the festive season with the first three cantatas from J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. Tickets for this special event at the landmark church on the High Street are available online, for £22 each. This event is recommended for ages five and over.

Street party

The world-famous Edinburgh Hogmanay street party on Princes Street will again take place this Sunday, December 31, from 8pm until 1am. General admission tickets, costing £28.50 are still available, while the silent disco is now sold out, as are access platform tickets.

Set against the stunning backdrop of the Edinburgh Castle, this year, 40,000 revellers from around the globe, will party their way into 2024 with a feast of entertainment throughout the city centre, live soundtracks, giant screens, street performers, pipers, drummers, funfair attractions, street food and drink throughout the arena, to create a carnival of celebration at the ‘Home of Hogmanay’.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay also welcomes the return of pyrotechnic wizards Titanium to once again design one of the world’s best New Year firework displays, launched for the stunning setting of Edinburgh Castle for an unforgettable firework and light spectacular. This event is age restricted for those aged 12 and over only.

Concert in the Gardens

Pulp’s headline appearance at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay on Sunday, December 31, 9pm until 12.50pm, marks the Sheffield band’s first live show in the Capital for over 20 years, where they will perform the last show of 2023 and first of 2024, bringing in the bells beneath the majestic backdrop of Edinburgh Castle. The Britpop rockers are joined by special guest Hot Chip, who will perform a DJ set on the Ross Bandstand stage. The last few remaining tickets are still on sale, priced £72.50. Again, this event is for ages 12 and over only.

New Year Revels

The return of New Year’s Revels on the 31st of December, Edinburgh’s premier indoor Hogmanay party, will see revellers birlin’ through the bells courtesy of the finest ceilidh bands, live DJs, and festival favourites Massaoke providing a sing-a-long soundtrack to a spectacular Midnight Moment. The event takes place at Assembly Rooms, George Street from 9pm until 1am. Tickets, costing £70, are still available. This event is strictly for aged 18 and over.