Hogmanay 2026
Torches up the Royal Mile, and a song nobody knows the second verse of.
Countdown to Hogmanay 2026
Dates
When is Hogmanay?
Hogmanay 2026 falls from Tuesday, 29 December 2026 to Friday, 1 January 2027. In 2027 it falls from Wednesday, 29 December 2027 to Saturday, 1 January 2028 (expected; it can move by a day).
Edinburgh's Hogmanay runs from 29 December 2026 to 1 January 2027, opening with the torchlight procession.
Date checked against edinburgh.org
| Year | Dates | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 29 December 2026 – 1 January 2027Tue – Fri | 4 days | Confirmed |
| 2027 | 29 December 2027 – 1 January 2028Wed – Sat | 4 days | Expected |
See every festival by date in the 2026 festival calendar and 2027 festival calendar.
The story
What it is, and why it matters
- Type
- Fire & Flame
- Tradition
- Folk & Dynastic
- Where
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Crowd
- Tens of thousands at Edinburgh's street party
- UNESCO
- Not inscribed
Hogmanay is Scotland's name for New Year's Eve, kept in towns and villages across the country. Edinburgh's version is the largest: four days of torchlight, concerts, a street party below the castle and a quieter New Year's Day.
For centuries New Year mattered more in Scotland than Christmas, which the Reformed Church discouraged. Christmas Day did not become a public holiday in Scotland until 1958, so Hogmanay was the great winter celebration, with cleaning the house, settling debts and visiting friends.
Edinburgh's festival begins with a torchlight procession through the Old Town, continues with concerts in Princes Street Gardens, and peaks with the street party and fireworks over the castle at midnight. On 1 January the city slows down into free cultural events.
Culture
Traditions, food and music of Hogmanay
Traditions
What actually happens
- First-footing — being the first visitor across a threshold after midnight, ideally bearing gifts.
- Auld Lang Syne — sung in a circle, arms crossed, at the stroke of midnight.
- The Torchlight Procession — thousands of flames moving through the Old Town.
- Redding the house — cleaning before the year turns.
Food
The table, widened
- Black bun, a rich fruit cake wrapped in pastry, and shortbread.
- Steak pie on New Year's Day and a dram of whisky for the first-foot.
Music
Sound of the crowd
Pipe bands lead the procession and ceilidh bands keep people dancing. Robert Burns' 'Auld Lang Syne', which he wrote down from an older song in 1788, closes the night.
Religion
Why this date
Hogmanay is a folk and civic festival. Its customs draw on Norse and Gaelic winter traditions, and gained importance after the Scottish Reformation made Christmas a working day for centuries.
History
How it survived
The origin of the word 'Hogmanay' is unclear, with possible French or Norse roots. The modern Edinburgh festival began in the early 1990s and has become one of the best-known New Year events in the world.
History
How it got here
The origin of the word 'Hogmanay' is unclear, with possible French or Norse roots. The modern Edinburgh festival began in the early 1990s and has become one of the best-known New Year events in the world.
1560s
Reformation
Christmas is discouraged and New Year becomes Scotland's winter feast.
1788
Auld Lang Syne
Robert Burns sends his version of the song to a publisher.
1958
Christmas holiday
Christmas Day becomes a public holiday in Scotland.
1990s
Edinburgh's festival
The city begins its multi-day Hogmanay celebration.
Travel & practical
Visiting Edinburgh for Hogmanay
Getting there
Edinburgh Airport has tram links to the centre; trains from London take about four and a half hours.
Tickets
The street party and concerts are ticketed and often sell out. Torchlight-procession wristbands are also limited.
Practical notes
Dress for cold, wet weather. Some roads close in the centre on 31 December.
Plan the trip with free AltFTool tools
FAQ
Hogmanay: common questions
Straight answers to what people ask most about Hogmanay.
When is Hogmanay in 2026 and 2027?
Hogmanay is 31 December every year. Edinburgh's 2026 festival runs from 29 December 2026 to 1 January 2027, with the torchlight procession on the 29th. The 2027–28 festival is expected over the same dates but had not been announced.
What is first-footing?
The custom of being the first guest in a home after midnight, traditionally bringing coal, salt, shortbread or whisky.
Is 2 January a holiday?
Yes, in Scotland both 1 and 2 January are public holidays.
Do I need a ticket for the street party?
Yes, Edinburgh's Princes Street party is a ticketed event.
Also in December 2026
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