Edinburgh Hogmanay 2022: New Year’s Day ‘Final Fling’ gig in Princes Street Gardens

Edinburgh is to stage a huge New Year’s Day party in Princes Street Gardens for the first time in the history of its Hogmanay festival.

An all-Scottish line-up of acts will be appearing at the five-hour event, which will act as the finale of three days of festivities in the city.

Festival favourites Tide Lines and Elephant Sessions will appear, along with Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter Hamish Hawk at The Final Fling – the last of three consecutive all-ticket events in the gardens.

Gates will open for the new early evening event at 4pm on New Year’s Day, with the gardens event due to finish by 9pm.

Tide Lines will be appearing at Edinburgh's Hogmanay festival at a new event on New Year's Day.

The Final Fling is the first major outdoor live music event to be staged in Edinburgh on New Year’s Day since KT Tunstall headlined a late afternoon show on The Mound precinct in 2011. Scottish acts to previously perform in West Princes Street Gardens on Hogmanay festival include the Bay City Rollers, Runrig, The Proclaimers, Paolo Nutini, Biffy Clyro and Texas.

Tickets for The Final Fling are due to go on sale on Friday, priced £35 each for the enclosure at the Ross Bandstand and £27.50 for the gardens.

Organisers have already announced a Night Afore Disco Party featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Altered Images on December 30, with the Pet Shop Boys revealed as the Hogmanay Concert in the Gardens headliners.

The back-to-back concerts have been lined up by festival organisers Unique Events and Assembly, who secured a contract worth more than £4 million in June to produce the Hogmanay festival for up to five years.

Elephant Sessions will playing the new 'Final Fling' event at Edinburgh's Hogmanay festival. Picture: Colin Cameron

The expanded line-up in the gardens has been announced despite the main street party on Hogmanay returning with a reduced capacity of 30,000 this year – around half its previous size.

The three gigs have been announced after a public consultation on the winter festivals found strong support for live music elements to continue.

Organisers have also pledged the city will host “one of the world’s best new year firework displays” above Edinburgh Castle to herald the arrival of 2023.

The full programme is yet to be unveiled for the Hogmanay festival, which is set to be staged for the first time since 2019 after last year’s event was scuppered by new Covid restrictions imposed just before Christmas.

Hamish Hawk will be playing the new Final Fling event at Edinburgh's Hogmanay festival.

Inverness band Elephant Sessions and Glasgow outfit Tide Lines are two of Scotland’s leading trad music outfits, regularly headlining festivals around the country and playing before packed houses on their own tours.

Tide Lines, who are fronted by former Skipinnish singer Robert Robertson, said: “Playing ‘The Final Fling’ event on New Year’s Day as part of the iconic celebrations in Edinburgh will be a massive honour for us.

“It’s the perfect way to begin a year where we will release our third album and set off on our biggest UK tour to date. We can’t wait to play for an international audience in a world-famous setting.”

An official announcement from Unique and Assembly said: “We are delighted to round off our three-day Hogmanay programme with a great Scottish line-up. The Final Fling will be fun finale for residents and visitors alike. It will top off a day of free events and live performances taking place in attractions, venues, and pubs throughout the Old and New Town areas.”