Other countries go crazy at Halloween. In Britain, not just Edinburgh, Bonfire Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Night, is marked with fiery celebrations across the land.
The celebration may share roots with Halloween, and the pagan Samhuinn and Hogmanay celebrations, marking the start of the "dark days"; but Bonfire Night's date originates from the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605 by a group of English Catholics to blow up the House of Lords. The goal of the Gunpowder Plot was to kill the protestant James VI of Scotland and I of England.
However, Guy Fawkes was discovered skulking in the cellars of parliament on 5th November with a pile of gunpowder, arrested, and executed shortly thereafter. Hence Bonfire Night is always on 5th November ("remember, remember").
Public celebrations involve the burning of effigies ("the Guy") on a bonfire, fireworks, dancing, dunking for apples, roasting potatoes, and such like.
Edinburgh Guy Fawkes, Bonfires, and Fireworks
Among the paid 2024 fireworks displays in the Edinburgh area, the biggest event will be the new Fawkes Festival event at the Royal Highland Centre at Ingliston on Edinburgh's outskirts.
After flooding caused the late cancellation of the Hopetoun Fireworks and Bonfire Night, in the grounds of the stately home in South Queensferry, that annual event is not returning in 2024. However, another stately home, Arniston House and Estate's Fireworks and Bonfire Night near Gorebridge is returning this year.
Within Edinburgh, the Edinburgh Diwali 2024 takes place on the 3rd November in the New Town from the afternoon through to evening. A free, mini festival with a parade and Scottish and Indian music, it climaxes with a fireworks display in Princes Street Gardens at 6.30pm.
The popular SLA Fireworks display also takes place on Sunday 3rd November, although tickets sell-out well in advance.
There are many smaller community Bonfire Night events in Edinburgh and also other fiery events around this time of year. The Celtic Samhuinn Fire Festival, organised by the Beltane Fire Festival, bursts into life on Halloween Night with its dramatic mix of pagan ceremony and pulsating drums.
Edinburgh's fireworks and winter fire festivals are popular and you should note that ticketed events often sell out in advance.
Guy Fawkes celebrations near Edinburgh
Some towns near Edinburgh may have their own celebrations on or near the evening of the 5th. Community events are often free or by donation. Some are ticketed like Linlithgow Rugby Club Fireworks display (£15, or £15 for a family 5). Linlithgow is 20 minutes from Edinburgh Waverley by train.
These community events are also generally much smaller and so don't promote the events widely due to problems in the past with parking and crowds.
For example, East Lothian Council announced 2023's Musselburgh's Guy Fawkes Fireworks display, at Musselburgh Racecourse, was cancelled out of concern for wildlife at nearby Levenhall Links. An independently run bonfire and fireworks display in the Pinkie area of Musselburgh is still going ahead again this year though.
The Haddington torchlight procession and fireworks was cancelled in 2022 "due to price increases". It bounced back in 2023, but an announcement on its Facebook page says it is "not be going ahead due to unforeseen circumstances". The message, signed off as Betty, says "please keep look out for 2025".
Cockenzie and Port Seton's Fireworks in East Lothian, and East Lothian Yacht Club's Firework Display at the harbour in North Berwick also announced that they were not going ahead in 2022 with their usual displays and have not made announcements for 2024 events.
Meadowbank Stadium used to host an annual fireworks display before it was closed for a massive redevelopment.