Edinburgh Hogmanay: Events to be staged at St Andrew Square, St Giles' Cathedral, Greyfriars Kirk on New Year's Day music trail

St Andrew Square, Greyfriars Kirk, Assembly Rooms and St Giles’ Cathedral to host gigs

Organisers of Edinburgh's Hogmanay festival have revealed free music events will be staged in St Andrew Square, St Giles' Cathedral, Greyfriars Kirk, the National Gallery, the Fruitmarket Gallery and the Assembly Rooms on New Year's Day to round off the 30th-anniversary edition of the capital's world-famous event.

Former Scottish Album of the Year winners Fergus McCreadie and Kathryn Joseph, Grammy nominees Hot Chip, BBC Introducing winner Bemz and BBC Folk Award winners Lau will all be appearing at the expanded First Footin' event around the Old and New Towns.

Award-winning Edinburgh-based musician and composer Aidan O’Rourke has created the First Footin’ programme with Unique Events and Assembly, the organisers of the new year festival, which will be staged across four days for the first time since 2010.

Kathryn Joseph

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay torchlight procession will be returning for the first time in four years, when it is staged on December 29 on a new route starting from the Meadows. The extended programme also features a new stand-up comedy night featuring Emmanuel Sonubi, Fred MacAulay, Susie McCabe and Larry Dean on December 29.

Australian Abba tribute act Bjorn Again will headline a Night Afore Disco Event in Princes Street Gardens on December 30, while Blue Rose Code, Dean Owens and Jackson appear at a Night Afore Hoolie in the Assembly Rooms. Pulp will headline the flagship Hogmanay Concert in the Gardens at the Ross Bandstand.

Instigated last year, the First Footin' trail will run for twice as long as last year, from 2-8pm, with 15 historic buildings, attractions, venues and bars confirmed so far.

A Spiegeltent venue will be returning to St Andrew Square, previously home to Edinburgh’s festive ice rink, for the first time in seven years for a performance by the Graeme Stephen Trio accompanying silent film screenings.

The Assembly Rooms will be one of events staging free music gigs in Edinburgh on New Year's Day. Picture: Roberto Ricciuti

Hot Chip will headline a daytime clubbing event at the Virgin Hotel's Greyfriars Hall, while its Eve bar-restaurant will play host to Grace & The Flat Boys and Her Picture.

McCreader, who won the Scottish Album of the Year title in 2022, will perform with cellist Juliette Limon and guitarist Chris Amer at Greyfriars Kirk.

Lau and Kathryn Joseph will join forces for a special collaboration at St Giles' Cathedral, which will also feature actor Tam Dean Burn, who performs with the post-punk band The Bum-Clocks.

The Assembly Rooms will host a showcase of acts recognised in this year’s Scottish Album of the Year Awards contest, including nominees Cloth, Becky Sikasa and Bemz, as well as No Windows, the Edinburgh duo who were named winners of the Sound of Young Scotland Award.

Edinburgh folk trio Lau will be performing in St Giles' Cathedral on New Year's Day.

Fiddler Hannah Fisher will lead an afternoon of ceilidh dancing at the Assembly Rooms ballroom, while guitarist Sean Shibe and violinist Mira Benjamin will perform at the Fruitmarket Gallery.

Bars hosting free music sessions from 4-8pm include Cold Town House, The Black Bull, Copper Blossom, Boozy Cow, The Huxley, Element and The Auld Hundred.

A spokeswoman for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay said: “First Footin’ invites audiences to explore the historic city, discovering an eclectic range of live music in outstanding venues, embracing Hogmanay traditions of friendship, love, and resolution, not forgetting some delicious food and drink along the way.

“Locals and tourists alike can enjoy live music on the culture trail, with performances ranging from folk to rap, indie to classical, and much more.”