Winter Festivals
As the nights get longer and the days get colder Scotland comes alive. Whether it’s the largest Celtic music festival in the world, Burns Night, Hogmanay, or the annual Loony Dook in the River Forth, festivals and exciting events take place across Scotland during the winter months.
Burns Night
Robert Burns is Scotland’s national poet and each year on, 25th January, Scots around the country, and the world, celebrate his work on Burns Night. The national dish of haggis, neeps (turnips) and tatties (potatoes) get eaten, whisky gets drunk and there is often traditional Scottish dancing and music.
During Burns Night, the haggis is piped in and presented at the top table. The Burns’ poem Address To A Haggis is spoken aloud and the haggis cut up and served.
Hogmanay
New Year, or Hogmanay as the Scots call it, is really celebrated in Scotland. There are street parties, fireworks, live music and ceilidhs around the country. People come from all over the world to spend the New Year in Edinburgh. For four days there are spectacular events and incredible bands and tens of thousands of people dance in the New Year Street Party, the Concert in the Gardens and the Ceilidh.
Now part of Edinburgh’s official Hogmanay celebrations, the annual Loony Dook sees 10,000 hardy Scots take a swim in the River Forth on January 1st. The tradition has been going on for 25 years and raises thousands of pounds for local charities. For more information on Loony Dook, and to find out how to take part, register with Edinburgh Hogmanay.
Each year the town of Stonehaven, half an hour outside Aberdeen, holds its world famous Fireball Ceremony. Thousands come to watch the town’s residents parade through the high street, swinging 16 pound balls of fire, on long steel chains. The marching is accompanied by drumming and piping.
The tradition stretches back to the 19th century when, it’s thought, fire was used to ward off evil spirits and give the village’s fishing fleets good luck.
In the city of Stirling there is a huge fireworks display that lights up the castle and bands playing a mixture of traditional Scottish music and modern tunes. Hogmanay in Glasgow is celebrated with a massive street party in the Merchant City area and fireworks in George Square.
Celtic Connections
Celtic Connections is the world’s largest winter music festival and the UK’s premier Celtic music festival. Over 18 days, around 1500 Scottish and international artists take part in a series of concerts, talks, ceilidhs, events and workshops in and around Glasgow. Venues include the Royal Concert Hall, the City Halls, the Old Fruit Market and the National Piping Centre.
More on Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations
More on the Loony Dook
More on Stonehaven Fireball Festival
More on Burns Night