Thousands of revellers returned from all over the world to welcome in New Year at Scotland’s biggest street party. Over 40,000 people flooded into Edinburgh for the world-famous Hogmanay for the first time in three years.
The city’s celebrations culminated in a dazzling fireworks show and the Concert in the Gardens headlined by the Pet Shop Boys. The celebrations, watched by one billion people across the world, had not been seen since 2019.
Street events were also taking place in Glasgow, with fireworks in Stirling and at smaller gatherings up and down the country as people celebrated being together for the first time since the easing of Covid restrictions.
But while Edinburgh was the most famous, it was the other side of the world which led us into 2023. Australia saw more than 7000 fireworks being launched from the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and a further 2000 from the nearby Opera House.
And celebrations also took place first in Wellington in New Zealand, Taipei in Taiwan, Manila in the Philippines and Seoul in South Korea. In Edinburgh, visitors braced for heavy rain and rejoiced at being able to party on the street, coming from far and wide.
Camila Chianca, 34, an English student from Brazil, said: “This is my first time in Scotland but I lived in Dublin for five months studying English and everyone said I had to come to Edinburgh for New Year. Even in Brazil it is famous. The street party is amazing. The city looks so nice – it’s cold but I love it.”
Student Filipe Figueiredo, 33, also from Brazil, said: “This is my first time in Scotland. We flew 17 hours from Brazil via Portugal and Ireland for this experience. The whole world has come together here for a party.”
Their friend, Brazilian Maureen Macedo, 33, said: “I’ve been to Europe before and everyone says Scotland is the most famous place to celebrate the New Year. I’d heard all about Hogmanay and have been looking forward to experiencing it for myself.”
Nurse Holly Pritchard and partner Luke Finnemore, 39, an energy consultant, travelled from Hereford.
Holly, 36, said: “After Covid we wanted to do something special for New Year. We read that this was the biggest winter festival in this hemisphere and we just had to come. We booked in October and the atmosphere is absolutely incredible. We’ve wrapped up warm with extra thermals so even the cold can’t spoil the party.”
Luke added: “Nowhere does it better than Scotland. Everyone is up for a great night.”
Blake Wise, 22, a film industry video assistant, and his partner Arielle Joss, 24, flew from Sydney to spend Hogmanay in Edinburgh with their Scottish friends Angela Davidson, 24, from Dalgety Bay in Fife, and Hannah Smit, from Elgin.
Blake said: “We’re just loving the atmosphere. This is the perfect time to visit Edinburgh for the first time.”
Arielle, a languages graduate, said: “I came to Edinburgh the last two times the party happened in 2019 and 2020, before Covid, and I couldn’t wait to come back again. It’s the best.”
Angela said: “I love Hogmanay in Edinburgh. I wanted to share the excitement of it all with my friends.”
Library assistant Hannah, 25, said: “After the last two years, it’s really nice to be in a busy place where everyone is enjoying themselves and having a good time. It’s busy, everyone is happy and it’s an amazing atmosphere. It’s so much fun.”
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