Royal Mile fire party to ensure Hogmanay celebrated in real blaze of glory

Published on Wednesday 18 November 2009 09:20

A SERIES of spectacular events to mark Hogmanay are to be held on the Royal Mile for the first time since the street party moved to Princes Street.

This year's programme for the five-day party is to feature a night of fire and light at locations up and down the historic thoroughfare.

Internationally-renowned street performers Carabosse will perform in Scotland for the first time with a specially-commissioned show, Firelight.

The show will feature giant fireballs, light projections on to St Giles' Cathedral, and a furnace wheel billowing smoke and flames.

Massive tubes that flare wildly when it gets dark will also be suspended in the street around St Giles', while the City Chambers Quadrangle will play host to live music.

The Light Night events on 30 December celebrate the return of part of the Hogmanay programme to the Royal Mile, traditionally the centrepiece of the city's New Year celebrations. Edinburgh Castle will also be illuminated by special lighting and opened up for guided tours throughout the evening.

Other historic buildings to be illuminated and opened up after dark include Mary King's Close, the Scotch Whisky Experience and John Knox House.

Pete Irvine, whose company Unique Events has run Hogmanay for the council since 1993, said: "Hogmanay used to be all about the Tron. This has been the first time that we have moved the focus of the rest of the programme back to the Royal Mile, with the cathedral at the centre of that.

"The Royal Mile is the street that most tourists converge on and it is one of the most visited streets in Scotland so it is right that we have something there."

Full details of the five days of events have now been confirmed.

About 20,000 people are expected to take part in a Torchlight Procession on 29 December, the same night as the world premiere of dance show Off Kilter at the Festival Theatre.

Hogmanay includes the Concert In The Gardens – headlined by Madness – the street party, and 4.5 tonnes of midnight fireworks and a laser display.

The programme finishes with a day of events to mark the 450th anniversary of the Reformation of Scotland on New Year's Day, then the final Off Kilter on 2 January.