Edinburgh's Hogmanay has revealed its four-day New Year festival, with chart-topping electronic dance act Groove Armada headlining Hogmanay night at the Concert in the Gardens. The official celebrations for the Hogmanay Street Party on Princes Street, which sees around 100,000 revellers, will start an hour earlier this year at 9pm on the 31 December and will include an additional DJ Stage.
Among a variety of large and small events in the lead up to the big night the popular Torchlight Procession returns on 29 December, followed by a new, free, dance party event in the Grassmarket, The Dancin', on 30 December. There's also a Family Hoog on 30 December, a more traditional ceilidh style dance a la The Hoog, for all ages, and a specially commissioned film which will premiere when the crowds sing Auld Lang Syne in the first minutes of 2009.
Among other additions to this year's programme is ensemble street performance show Feet First on the High Street on 1 January.
Tickets for Edinburgh's Hogmanay street party (£10) and other events are now available (more details).
Four stages for Hogmanay street party
While Groove Armada bring big beats to the ticketed Concert in the Gardens under Edinburgh Castle, a total of 100,000 revellers will flock to this year's Hogmanay Street Party. The 2008-2009 celebrations includes four live music stages, each with a distinct musical style:
The Waverley Stage is headlined by Glasvegas, supported by The Complete Stone Roses, Attic Lights and Broken Records
The Scott Monument Stage brings a more Scottish flavour with the Peatbog Faeries, supported by Moishie's Bagel, Burach and Watergaw.
The Mound Stage offers a more pop-flavoured line-up with the Great Calverto playing alongside Michelle McManus and the Concrete Jungle Collective
The West End DJ Stage, new in 2008-2009 Hogmanay, brings DJ sets from Hot Chip, Belle & Sebastian and B-Side & the Bandit (resident DJ at Sugarbeat).
In addition, the Mound Precinct space gets kitsch this year with a new ticketed event, Boogie Wonderland. It pays homage to DISCO, showcasting 70s tribute bands including an exclusive Silent Disco, all hosted by Forth One DJ ‘Boogie.'
Four Days of Revels
The Hogmanay festivities start on 29 December with the Torchlight Procession, popular with winter festivalgoers of all ages. Creating a dramatic ‘river of fire' down the Royal Mile, the Torchlight Procession culminates in a finale that in 2008 will see a huge Lion Rampant set alight atop Calton Hill to the rousing sounds of the mass pipes and drums amid fire sculptures, performers and a fireworks display. This year's procession will raise funds for One City Trust.
The activities continue on 30 December when the curtain is lifted on a brand new event in the Grassmarket - The Dancin'. The free event celebrates the modernmed and international dance, from B-Boy to barn dances. The Dancin' includes guest DJs and one-off clubs in the Dancebase building, and it culminates in a Bollywood style extravaganza of colour and movement.
For a more traditional Scottish Hogmanay for all ages there's The Family Hoog on 30 December in the Assembly Rooms Ballroom is geared towards families and presents Scottish ceilidh dancing, with a twist.
New Year's Eve
For a more meditative New Year's Eve experience there's the Candlelight Concert in St Giles Cathedral, a ticketed event which features performances of Vaughan William's Fantasia on Christmas Carols and Vivaldi's Gloria.
Then at 9.00pm the city centre stages will go live. The ticketed event, the Glayva Ceilidh in the Gardens starts jigging with The Ocassionals, Hugh McDairmid's Haircut, The Jimi Shandrix Experience and Blueflint who promise to keep it lively through the bells and into the wee small hours.
Boogie Wonderland will kick off its party with a 70's soundtrack from ABBA Arrival, Ultimate Earth, Wind & Fire and The Soul Kings. Complete with the last Silent Disco of 2008 and fancy dress as an essential, this ticketed event promises to have plenty of Travolta moves!
The Hoog, Edinburgh's Hogmanay's only indoor ceilidh party. With three stages of entertainment and dancing all night at the George Street Assembly Rooms from 7pm until 2am. For the second year running, The Hoog sees the return of popular rock ceilidh band Teannaich in the grand Music Hall with trio Blaze in the Bothy across the hall in the Grand Ballroom. DJs on the third stage will be mixing up ceilidh action with other surprises.
Auld Lang Syne Film Premiere
In past years, Edinburgh's Hogmanay revellers at the Night Afore Fiesta have broken the world record for the longest Strip the Willow. This year revellers can join together in the Biggest Auld Lang Syne rendition when a new film rolls on the big screens on Princes Street and at home on television immediately after the New Year fireworks. The film was commissioned as part of the 2009 Year of Homecoming Scotland celebrations marking the
250th anniversary of Scotland's national poet Robert Burns.
New Year's Day
As we enter 2009, the New Year's Day Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op
Triathlon and Kids Duathlon are staged in Holyrood Park. These events -
which require pre entry and registration - will help those with fitness
in mind start the New Year as they mean to go on.
The famous Loony Dook is celebrated on 1 January 2009 in Queensferry with a plunge - in fancy dress - into the freezing waters of the Forth to mark New Year's Day. The event is a fundraiser for charities including the Radio Forth "Help a Child" appeal.
International Debut of Feet First
Feet First, a specially commissioned event for 1 January 2009, will
showcase top Scottish street performance and outdoor arts in what is
being described as "an inspiring and
fantastical production focused on the optimism and hopes for the New
Year ahead." The event is funded by the Scottish Arts Council and
Scottish Government
Edinburgh's Festivals Expo Funded.
Pete Irvine says
"With the best emerging and established music acts and exciting new
events we've added a new dimension to the event that brings an
explosive mix of energetic music and arts," said Pete Irvine, creative
director of Edinburgh's Hogmanay.
"To see the best bands and be part of one of the world's best parties there really is no better place to be than Edinburgh."