Edinburgh has been partying for days now and it is almost time to get back to normal. Bloggers have been posting photos and video using the hashtag #blogmanay providing a selection of views from around the city.
According to organisers Unique Events, who have produced Edinburgh’s Hogmanay for 21 years on behalf of The City of Edinburgh Council, an estimated 75,000 revellers celebrated the New Year at the world famous Street Party, Concert in the Gardens and The Keilidh, where party-goers from far and wide enjoyed all the entertainment.
One of the UK’s best loved electro pop acts, Pet Shop Boys, were joined by The 1975 as well as local acts Nina Nesbitt and The 10:04s, and wowed the crowds with a party mix of their greatest hits at the sell-out Concert in the Gardens.
The world famous Street Party entertained revellers with a uniquely Scottish line-up. Among the highlights were Django Django and Chvrches while on the Scottish Stage revellers were entertained by King Creosote, Treacherous Orchestra and Fiddlers’ Bid. Revellers throughout the Street Party were all dancing to the same tune, as Rewinder returned, this time showcasing Scotland’s impact on the modern world in an exclusive multi-media mix of floor filling tunes.
The Keilidh entertained around 2,750 revellers who enjoyed Scottish roots artists including Hugh McDiarmid’s Haircut, the Black Rose Ceilidh Band and Box Fizz well as having fun on the Edinburgh Wheel and New Year Carnival.
The Street Party kicked off with the Homecoming Hogmanay Fireworks from Calton Hill at 20:14 followed by countdown fireworks at 9.00pm and 10.00pm. A full Homecoming Hogmanay display at 11.00pm signalled one hour to go till the climax of the evening, the Midnight Fireworks.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay spectacular midnight fireworks display involved over 2,300 cues, triggering over 16,000 shots from 52 locations spread around Edinburgh Castle, Princes Street Gardens and Calton Hill. The display takes 40 hours to design and choreograph to music, and two weeks for a team of six to manufacture and fuse. Over 20 tonnes of equipment and 13 kilometres of control cables and wires take a team of 14 people six days to set up on site.
Steve Cardownie, Festival and Events Champion, City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations have long been the envy of cities across the globe. With one of the best artist line-ups ever, tonight has been a truly fantastic event, bringing together 75,000 revellers from all over the world to bring in the bells in the heart of our great capital city. Where better to kick off Scotland’s big year?”
Pete Irvine, Director, Unique Events said: “What a great night. Pet Shop Boys rocked the Concert in the Gardens, and a full Scottish line up across the Street Party stages was a great way to start 2014 – Scotland’s Big Year. We are looking forward to the next 21 years.”
Chief Superintendent Mark Williams, Police Scotland Edinburgh Commander, said: “Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations have once again proven to be a major success and Police Scotland has played a key role in ensuring that everyone has been kept safe during what has been a memorable three days of activity.
“I would like to thank members of the public whose good-natured conduct ensured the success of each event and I would also like to thank our partners in City of Edinburgh Council, Unique Events, and emergency services for their co-operation throughout the planning.
“Finally, I would like to wish everyone well for 2014.”
There were 5 arrests for minor disorder.
The big clean-up began at around 3am, after the celebrations ended. The majority of the 60 to 75 tonnes of refuse will be plastic bottles, with the remainder made up of food cartons, clothing and glass. This year Unique Events is working closely with the City of Edinburgh Council to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill: there will be recycling bins at entrance points for packaging and glass waste.
The entertainment continued on 1 January with a programme of activities for all the family: For the hardy, the sold out Loony Dook – the annual New Year’s Day dip in the River Forth – started off with a Dookers Parade through South Queensferry featuring pipers and a host of entertainment followed by the brave (or daft) Loony Dookers. For those not quite brave enough to take the plunge, there were plenty of vantage points to watch the action.
Revellers were also invited to enjoy some of the very best of art and culture from across Scotland, brought to Edinburgh’s Old Town at the all new event Scot:Lands. This was a great idea, but turned out to be a poorly executed one, as the queues at the National Museum of Scotland proved. To get everyone to go to one central point at a certain time to pick up their documents for the event proved just too much. The Edinburgh Reporter went to Lau:Land which was beautifully atmospheric and quite soothing, and also the Scottish Storytelling Centre where the Mummers play was very entertaining.
The journey around all nine atmospheric venues in the Old Town, each curated and customised by notable artists and arts organisations from all over the country proved just one step too far. The event was supported by the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund.
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