Laser and light show to mark Edinburgh's Hogmanay Midnight Moment
A ''visual and memorable'' laser and light show will welcome 2017 as part of Edinburgh's Hogmanay Midnight Moment.
The show beamed from Edinburgh Castle will showcase the drama of the Scottish capital's historic cityscape and will usher in the new year while celebrating the 70th anniversary of Edinburgh's birth as one of the world's leading festival cities.
Supported by Creative Scotland through the Scottish Government's Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund and Edinburgh Council, organisers are working with partners to create ''a truly memorable moment'' with about 75,000 revellers expected to attend the celebrations in the city centre.
Edinburgh's year-round festival calendar first started in 1947, based on a belief in the power of culture to build enlightenment, creativity, trust and understanding.
From those beginnings, the city's 12 major festivals attract 4.5 million people every year from around the world and has attendances on a par with the Fifa World Cup and only second to the Olympic Games.
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: ''Scotland is the world-renowned home of Hogmanay and while there is a wide variety of exciting local Hogmanay celebrations up and down the country, the spectacular Edinburgh's Hogmanay has the special addition of marking the start of Edinburgh Festival's 70th anniversary in 2017. To help celebrate the 70th anniversary, the Scottish Government has provided £90,000 funding towards this year's Midnight Moment, a visual and memorable extravaganza to welcome in 2017. Edinburgh's Festivals contribute £313 million a year to the Scottish economy as a whole, and the 70th anniversary is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the valuable cultural influence of our well-loved festivals.''
Leonie Bell, director of arts and engagement at Creative Scotland, said: ''Creative Scotland is looking forward to the 70th anniversary year of Edinburgh as a festival city, heralded by this specially commissioned Midnight Moment during Edinburgh's Hogmanay. The spectacular light display will mark the start of a special year celebrating Edinburgh's status as the world's leading festival city recognised globally for its art, culture and creativity.''
The show will compliment the world-renowned Edinburgh's Hogmanay fireworks display from the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle which are visible in the skies for up to 30 miles around the capital.
Earlier this year, Paolo Nutini was announced as the headline act for the Concert in the Gardens on December 31 as well as a new Night Afore Concert on December 30 as part of the New Year extravaganza.
Edinburgh's Hogmanay, described as the UK's largest outdoor winter music festival, has been produced by Unique Events on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council since 1993.
Other events confirmed include the annual torchlight procession on December 30, the ''Loony Dook'' dip in the Forth at South Queensferry, the Scot:Lands festival of music, art and theatre on January 1 and the Final Fling closing ceilidh, also on New Year's day.