Edinburgh's Hogmanay - The World's Best New Year Celebrations!


If you are looking for a New Year celebration then Scotland is always been a popular destination for to celebrate New Year and Edinburgh's hogmanay is the best new year's party in the world. Hogmanay is celebrated as the Scottish New Year. Edinburgh Hogmany is celebrated on every 31st December. Never being slow to spot a good excuse for a party, the night involves a celebratory drink or two, fireworks and the kissing of complete strangers. Edinburgh's Hogmany is a four day free celebration for all who celebrates the New Year. Visitors get pleasure from 4 days of magnificent events throughout the city including well loved favorites proceedings such as the Torchlight Procession and the world famous Royal Bank Street Party, as well as many new events.

The Hogmanay street party in Edinburgh is why visitors come from all over the world to spend New Year's in Scotland's capital. Over the last few years, this centerpiece of Edinburgh Hogmanay has become a huge ticketed extravaganza with all tickets given out well before the night itself.

The Hogmanay party takes place in Edinburgh City Centre with nearly 100,000 people taking to the streets. Music and dancing takes place along the entire length of Princes Street but also on the Mound, Waverley Bridge and in Princes Street Gardens.

Year after year Edinburgh's Hogmanay street party brings something new to the crowds: more stages, more popular artists and better fun. It is sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland which is why it's also called the Royal Bank Street Party.

The number of people attending the Hogmanay street party have been reduced from previous years by as much as 50% to prevent overcrowding. The area of Edinburgh City Centre where the party now takes place is entirely cordoned off by police to ensure everyone's safety. Access is only possible via gates located at entry points to Princes Street.

Princes Street is equipped with everything needed for a brilliant Hogmanay night. There are vans selling hot food, beer, balloons and most importantly really silly Edinburgh Hogmanay hats coming in different shapes and sizes. The Street Party simply would not be the same without them and it's no wonder that people start chanting "Hogmany" in the streets of Edinburgh.

The most memorable aspect of a Hogmanay Party in Edinburgh's Princes Street are the few moments after the stroke of midnight when people start hugging and kissing each other, regardless of whether they know each other or not. The crowd then bursts into singing Auld Lang Syne, the traditional New Year song originating in the lyrics of Robert Burns, Scotland's national poet.

Source: www.stuckonscotland.co.uk

Sandbags to shore up Hogmanay party

IT IS one of Scotland's most iconic events - renowned the world over and worth tens of millions of pounds to the nation's economy.

Yet the fate of Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations may be resting on sandbags. They are among a series of extra measures being introduced this year to ensure the event can withstand anything but the worst weather.

Organisers have refused to scale down any area of the street party this year - despite two of the last four events falling victim to the elements.

They insist they will leave it as late as possible to make a decision on whether the party actually goes ahead.

Portable toilets will be bound together and held down by sandbags in order to avoid a repeat of last year, when several were seen hurtling down Princes Street.

A spokesman for City of Edinburgh Council, which stages the party, said: "Everything possible will be done to ensure that the street party can go ahead, even if there are weather problems earlier in the day.

"We were pretty happy with the arrangements that were in place last year. The big problem was the winds, which were just too strong on the night."

Source: www.news.scotsman.com