75,000 people stepped out in the city centre last night to hear the music from the various stages on Princes Street and in the Old Town.
Then, from vantage points all over the city people watched the display designed by Titanium Fireworks all set to a special soundtrack crafted by Mark Ronson. Titanium had worked with the DJ to create the display set to a medley of some of his greatest hits including Uptown Funk feat. Bruno Mars, Stop Me with Daniel Merriweather, Bang Bang Bang with The Business Intl, Nothing Breaks Like A Heart and Electricity. It was truly a spectacle and the music inspiring and uplifting for the New Year.
The firework display was dazzling and the whole evening seemed to me to be a lot of happiness and friendship. From the moment visitors stepped in through the security barriers at the western end of Princes Street they were welcomed with cheery ‘hellos’ and ‘happy to see you’.
The police reported that there were no major incidents and no arrests.
About last night…. Great music and spectacles to behold @edhogmanay pic.twitter.com/QN025qakRp
— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) January 1, 2020
The event was largely sponsored by Johnnie Walker. Ewan Andrew, President of Global Supply and Procurement, Diageo said: “For the second year, Johnnie Walker has been host of the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party, raising a glass to the year ahead with 60,000 revellers at one of the world’s biggest and best New Year celebrations. As we go into 2020, a hugely exciting year for Johnnie Walker, we wish everyone a Happy New Year!”
The Silent Disco on Market Street gave those who wanted to listen to their own beats a place to be (or in the case of the open air urinals to one side of the street a place to wee…..).
There were many street closures, there was a large amount of clearing up to do afterwards. As we crossed Princes Street in the wee small hours they were already clearing the mess up, and we are sure that by early today some form of normality will have been restored to the city centre.
The three day Festival is not for everyone who lives here although it attracts an audience from all over the world. There are dissenting voices, and they will deserve to be listened to in the eighteen month consultation which the council plans. From our viewpoint (and we are at all the stages except Castle Street) people were having fun and raising money for charity at the same time. The Lord Provost’s charity OneCity Trust along with RNLI and The Brain Tumour Charity will all receive donations from the events totalling around £42,500.
The event was livestreamed with 16 cameras sending a live edit from the arena with The Mac Twins capturing key moments for an audience all over the world.
Charlie Wood and Ed Bartlam, directors of Underbelly who produce Edinburgh’s Hogmanay on behalf of City of Edinburgh Council said: “What a fantastic night! Mark Ronson, who has been the soundtrack to our last decade, brought in the new decade with an absolutely belting set which took us through the bells. The Fireworks, set to his soundtrack were breathtaking!
“Tonight Edinburgh overwhelmingly celebrated a togetherness of Edinburgh people and visitors from 87 different countries, showing to the world the true spirit of Scotland’s and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay.
“We thank the many people who worked together to make tonight the best ever Hogmanay.”
So on New Year’s Day – get out and enjoy Message from the Skies, The Loony Dook at South Queensferry, Eddi Reader at The McEwan Hall or the First Footers’ Family Ceilidh at 12.30 at The McEwan Hall.
Details from https://www.edinburghshogmanay.com/
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
