A free, unticketed event, the Torchlight Procession opens the annual Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations by creating a "river of fire" through city streets.

A bunch of noisy, hairy vikings and Scottish highlanders dragging a viking warship, lead a 15,000 strong crowd bearing flaming torches as it wends its way from the historic Parliament Square on the Old Town's Royal Mile, down the Mound, along Princes Street and Waterloo Place, and up to the ancient Edinburgh meeting ground Calton Hill.

In 2011, the Torchlight Procession culminates with a "Son et Lumiere & Firework Finale" at around 7.45pm on Calton Hill.

• Video: Hogmanay kiss on Torchlight Procession
• 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 (up £1 from last year) and are available from the Hogmanay Box Office and other Hogmanay ticket outlets. On the day you exchange vouchers for the torches from 4.30pm in Parliament Square by St Giles Cathedral.

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