A free, unticketed event, the Torchlight Procession opens the annual Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations by creating a "river of fire" through city streets. In 2012, the procession follows a new route starting at the Museum of Scotland and going down North Bridge, instead of starting in Parliament Square and going down the Mound.

A bunch of noisy, hairy vikings from Shetland and Scottish highlanders dragging a viking warship lead a procession of up to 25,000 people bearing flaming torches from the National Museum of Scotland on Chamber Street over North Bridge, along Waterloo Place, and up to the ancient Edinburgh meeting ground Calton Hill.

The 2012 Torchlight Procession starts at 6.30pm and culminates with a "Son et Lumiere & Firework Finale" at around 7.45pm on Calton Hill.

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• Video: Fireworks on Calton Hill
• Photos of the Edinburgh Torchlight Procession
  
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Stalwarts of the Torchlight Procession are historical fight display team The Clann who have lead the torch carriers for many years, accompanied by the pipes and drums of both traditional and contemporary outfits.

In the past, the pipes and drums component has included the Dhol Drummers, the Erskine, Stewart's Melville and Coalburn Pipe Bands, the Sativa Drummers, She-Boom, the Coalburn Silver Band, the Impact Drumming Group, the Gutty Slippers and Commotion.

How to get your torches

Torch vouchers now cost £6 in advance or £7 on the night and are available from the Hogmanay Box Office and other Hogmanay ticket outlets.

Money raised by the sale of torches to all those taking part in the procession will go to Radio Forth Cash for Kids and Barnardo’s Scotland.

For more on Edinburgh visit Edinburgh Guide