Organisers of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay have confirmed that there are still some Gardens tickets for the Night Afore Party with Sophie Ellis-Bextor on Friday 30 December, but that otherwise the events on Saturday 31 December are now sold out.
There are also tickets for the Final Fling on New Year’s Day with Tidelines and special guests Elephant Sessions and Hamish Hawk, and there are also free events for families such as Sprogmanay at the National Museum of Scotland. The free First Footin’ trail around the city is also a must for all music lovers with names like Calum Beattie, Berta Kennedy and Withered Hand featuring on a very long list of events in the city centre.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay begins on Friday and continues till late on New Year’s Day.
To ensure revellers can get home safely after the Street Party and Concert in the Gardens, Edinburgh Trams offer free, late-night services from midnight until 5am operating every 15 minutes and calling at all stops between West End and Edinburgh Airport.
Lothian Buses are also offering revellers a special Hogmanay ticket on their late-night services.
Alan Thomson and Dani Rae, Directors of UniqueAssembly Ltd who produce Edinburgh’s Hogmanay on behalf of The City of Edinburgh Council, said “Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is back with a bang! After three long years away, Hogmanay is back in its rightful home in Edinburgh to celebrate the moment with the world.
“While all events on 31 December are now sold out, you can still join in the celebrations tomorrow, Friday 30 December, with Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Altered Images; and on Sunday with our free First Footin’ event taking place in venues all over the city. Finish the party by joining us at Final Fling, which still has tickets available.”
The three-day programme for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay begins on Thursday:
- 30 December – Night Afore Disco Party headlined by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, with special guests Altered Images and Forth 1 DJ Boogie in West Princes Street Gardens.
- The first of the Festival of Ceilidhs ‘Countdown to Hogmanay’ featuring the Alan Crookston Ceilidh Band is now sold out. 31 December celebrations start with the magical Candlelit Concert at St Giles’ (SOLD OUT) and the second of the Festival of Ceilidhs ‘Countdown to Hogmanay’ with the Haggis Chasers Ceilidh Band (SOLD OUT). The showcase Concert in the Gardens, (SOLD OUT) headlined by Pet Shop Boys with supporting DJ set from Elle Joe of Pretty Ugly DJ’s, takes place in West Princes Street Gardens and the World-Famous Street Party (SOLD OUT) when 30,000 revellers will dance their way into 2023 with live DJ soundtracks from Edinburgh’s own DJ Joseph Malik and Danny Walls, and Pretty Ugly DJ – Elle Jo, relayed throughout the arena on giant screens and a delicious selection of street food and drink throughout the arena.
- Street Party revellers will become part of the show for the first time with the Midnight Moment, and personal LED Wristbands lighting up the party on Princes Street, connecting friends old and new from around the world.
- Fireworks will lift from Edinburgh Castle at 9pm, 10pm and 11pm as the city counts down to the Midnight Moment to welcome 2023.
Superintendent David Robertson of Police Scotland is in charge of policing at the three day event and he wants anyone attending to think ahead and be prepared. He would like them to think about how they will get to the party in the gardens and also how they will get home again.
As to the wider picture Superintendent Robertson explained that Police Scotland is working to the current threat level of “substantial”. He said: “That means it is applied across the whole of the UK and comes from a process involving government and other agencies. We have been working to that threat level for a substantial period of time. There is no specific threat that relates to this event but suffice to say we are prepared. We have a substantial police operation in place with a wide range of specialists to help with the policing response.
“Our role in this operation is to work with the event organisers and their stewards to keep people as safe as possible. We will be supporting the stewarding operation and there will be a high visibility presence of stewards and police all working together.”
Penny Dougherty of UniqueAssembly said it is just wonderful to be back. She said: “It is great to be back. It has been a strange three years for us personally and it’s wonderful to be back.”
Giving us a quick rundown of events over Friday 30th, Hogmanay and New Year’s Day expanding on the satellite events which are taking place around the city in venues such as the Roxy which is on the First Footin’ Trail, but the event is scaled back from recent years. Penny explained: “You’ve got to remember that this is the first year back after three years away. We wanted to make sure that what we could bring back we could do well as a fantastic performance rather than stretching it too far. We looked at everything we are doing and made sure that it is the best we can possibly make it.”
Cllr Cammy Day explained that the cost to the council is just over £800,000, but that the three day Hogmanay event brings millions of pounds of inward investment into the city with visitors and tourists pending money in hospitality venues.
On the switch back to Unique Events and Assembly in a new joint company this year Cllr Day said: “UniqueAssembly are well known for the events they put on across the city year on year. They were the masterminds behind Hogmanay back in the nineties. We are confident they will do a great job. I have seen that the stage is ready to go for international and local acts. Hogmanay is back with a bang and so many events are sold out so demand is there to come back to the world famous Edinburgh’s Hogmanay.”
NEW YEAR’S DAY
On 1 January, Edinburgh’s residents and visitors can enjoy free performances from leading Scottish musicians from the worlds of indie, folk, jazz, RnB and hip hop in venues in the Old and New Towns as part of the brand-new First Footin’ celebrations. Artists including Callum Beattie, Roseanne Reid, Withered Hand, Swim School and Stina Marie Claire will be popping up in bars, cafes and event spaces across the city from Rose Street to the Grassmarket, Greyfriars Kirk to The Huxley as audiences are encouraged to explore the city and, in the tradition of First Footin’, are welcomed across the threshold bringing good luck and good cheer for the New Year.
First Footin’ is supported by the Scottish Government’s Festivals Expo Fund and produced in partnership with Essential Edinburgh. Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events said; “We are delighted to be supporting the return of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay as it celebrates three days of spectacular activity taking place across a range of venues and locations within the city centre. Whether you are set to enjoy the free programme of live music, dance in the Gardens to pop-legends, connect with friends old and new at the Street Party, or enjoy Edinburgh’s Sprogmanay with family and friends – our atmospheric crowds, generosity of spirit and picture-perfect backdrops are sure to make it a memorable occasion. Scotland’s world-famous Hogmanay celebrations are a massive draw to those seeking to bring in the New Year in style. Having events of this scale in our calendar further strengthens our position as a world-leading events destination and reinforces Scotland’s place as the perfect stage for events.”
For families and younger audiences, Sprogmanay makes a welcome return on New Year’s Day. A free afternoon of fun for kids with lively pop-up performances from Mr Fibbers, Hip, Hop, Story, Stop! with Claire and Fergus McNicol and the brilliant Unicorn Dance Party featuring Sarah Rose Graber & Ruxy Cantir. Fun for all the family within the beautiful surroundings of the National Museum of Scotland. It’s free, unticketed, with the events and activities operating on a ‘First Come First Served’ basis.
Just around the corner, at Assembly Roxy, the Sprogmanay Family Ceilidh offers an afternoon of dancing and fun hosted by the incredible Fruin Ceilidh Band. A fun, relaxed ‘have-a-go’ environment suitable for all levels of experience, and a great way to introduce kids to the joys of ceilidh dancing and music.
The First Footin’ music trail will lead into Final Fling, the climax of this year’s Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. Headliners Tide Lines will be joined by special guests Elephant Sessions and Edinburgh’s own Hamish Hawk in an all-Scottish line-up at the outdoor concert in West Princes Street Gardens. Glasgow based Tide Lines, whose members all hail from the Highlands and Hebrides, have built up a strong Scottish following since their debut single in 2016. They recently announced a new album ‘An Ocean Full of Islands’ is to be released on 24th February 2023. Selling out venues across the UK, their appearance at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is the culmination of three-days of events and celebrations to welcome in the New Year.
FULL PROGRAMME
| Friday 30 December 2022 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 6.45pm – 10pm (Doors 6pm) | Night Afore Disco Party with Forth 1 – Sophie Ellis-Bextor | West Princes Street Gardens |
| 8pm – 11.30pm (Doors 7.30pm) | Festival of Ceilidhs – Alan Crookston Ceilidh Band | Assembly Roxy, 2 Roxburgh Pl. |
| Saturday 31 December 2022 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 6pm – 7.30pm (Doors 5pm) | Candlelit Concert at St Giles’ Cathedral | High Street |
| 8.30pm – 1am (Doors 8pm) | Festival of Ceilidhs – Haggis Chasers Ceilidh Band | Assembly Roxy, 2 Roxburgh Pl. |
| 9pm – 12.30am (Doors 8pm) | Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party | Princes Street/City Centre |
| 9pm – 12.55am (Doors 8pm) | Concert in the Gardens – Pet Shop Boys | West Princes Street Gardens |
| Midnight | Midnight Moment – Firework & Light Spectacular | Visible across the skies of Edinburgh |
| New Year’s Day – Sunday 1 January 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2pm – 5pm | Sprogmanay – Free children’s programme | National Museum of Scotland, Chamber Street |
| 2pm – 5pm | Sprogmanay – Free Family Ceilidh | Assembly Roxy, 2 Roxburgh Pl |
| 2pm – 5pm | First Footin’ – Free live music trail | Old & New Town Venue Trail Venues include Cold Town House (Grassmarket), Virgin Hotels – Greyfriars Venue (Cowgate), Rose Theatre (Rose Street), Auld Hundred (Rose Street), Black Bull (Grassmarket), Huxley (West End) and many more….with musicians like Calum Beattie and Berta Kennedy included in the huge line up. (and did we say this is a free event?) |
| 5.15pm – 9pm (Doors 4pm) | Final Fling – Tide Lines and special guests | West Princes Street Gardens |
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