Updated: 1/13/2020 | January 13th, 2020

I dislike new Year’s Eve. To me, it’s a non-holiday. A night out where bars have an reason to overcharge customers, people get excited for a 20-second countdown, and, then, when it’s over, recognize that life is still the same.

New Year’s Eve is just one more night. I don’t see what the fuss is about. I normally spend the “holiday” with my good friends in some foreign country as well as am house soon after midnight.

Yet, in spite of my dislike for the night, two events have always been on my “must do on new Year’s” list: Hogmanay in Edinburgh as well as the firework celebration in Sydney.

To me, these two things are more than an overhyped night out — they are significant events with music, fireworks, entertainment, food parks, as well as celebration. They are a party. I’ve listened with awe as well as question to the stories my good friends have shared about the events.

And, when provided with the chance to lastly go to Edinburgh’s Hogmanay this year, I took it.*

Hogmanay (a Gaelic word for the last day of the year) is one of the largest new Year’s events in the world, drawing in over 75,000 people for the two-day celebration.

Though the Scots have been celebrating this day for centuries, the contemporary iteration with musical acts, a torchlight procession, several fireworks displays, as well as a big street celebration dates back only to 1992.

The event begins on December 30th with a torchlight procession with the city (8,000 people took part this year), led by the Up Helly Aa Vikings from Shetland, that culminates in a big bonfire as well as fireworks display. Then, on December 31, the streets close to web traffic as well as fill with people, as musicians begin performing on several stages throughout the city in a lead-up to the large fireworks that erupt over the castle.

And, as if that weren’t enough, there’s a carnival in Edinburgh’s downtown that begins days before the new Year’s festivities as well as ends days after.

While I might continue to tell tales about the event itself, the whiskey I drank, as well as the music I danced to, photos (with descriptions) do this celebration much better justice. You just requirement to see it to get an concept of just exactly how big as well as special of an event this is:

The torchlight procession, led by the Up Helly Aa Vikings. Over 8,000 people with torchlights comply with the Vikings with the city in a parade that ends in a bonfire as well as fireworks on Calton Hill.

Fireworks over Calton hill after the torchlight procession.

The streets of Edinburgh fill with people braving the cold. Plastic bottles are full of more than just soda since there’s no glass enabled at the festival.

Yup, great deals as well as great deals of people go to this celebration.

Hot Dub Time Machine. He mixed together every #1 hit from the 1950s to today over several screens playing throughout the city. I’ve never heard so many people sing along at once.

Lily Allen performing at the end of the festival. She closed out the night. I spent a long time dancing to her as well as the ABBA cover band, Bjorn Again.

Fireworks over the castle. starting at 9pm, they have little fireworks shows to mark each hour, which culminates in a grand 20-minute screen at midnight. It was one of most impressive fireworks shows I’ve ever seen.

Photos by my good friend Laurence from discovering the Universe, whose camera as well as photography skills are much better than mine!

What I liked about this evening was that Hogmanay had character to it. It wasn’t a home celebration or an overpriced bar. It was a multi-day event with day as well as nighttime activities. Hogmanay was something special. I felt like I was celebrating a genuine holiday.

I’ve enjoyed some remarkable new Year’s events in the past, however this event is one for the record books. I appreciated the revelry, music, as well as fireworks, in addition to my friends and the camaraderie among strangers, more than any type of other previous new Year’s celebration I’ve been to. I would definitely make a return trip.

If you’re looking to do something different for new Year’s Eve, go to Hogmanay. It was whatever that I had really hoped it would be.

Edinburgh is a beautiful and exciting city in its own right, however this celebration just adds one more layer of fun. just be sure to bring a heavy coat — it’s chilly in January!

Now, time to inspect Sydney off my listing this year. Who’s in?

Disclosure: Hogmanay organizers invited me to this year’s event. They paid for my flight, accommodation, event ticket, as well as three meals during the week I was in the city. All hangovers were of my own doing.

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