Edinburgh Sees In 2010 With Happy Hogmanay Party

Submitted by edg on Fri, 1 Jan '10 12.45am

Temperatures plummeted, as forecast, but early reports suggest that Edinburgh's Hogmanay Street Party was a big success.

According to the City of Edinburgh Council, an estimated 80,000 revellers celebrated the New Year at the Street Party, Concert in the Gardens and Keilidh where party-goers enjoyed music and entertainment across five stages, and a fireworks and laser show to welcome in 2010.

Preliminary figures suggest that there were four arrests for breach of the peace, and five people were sent to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary with minor injuries.

Pete Irvine, Edinburgh's Hogmanay Creative Director, said: "It has been an extraordinary night in Edinburgh - with brilliant music, a magical fireworks display against a full moon sky and the dramatic Castle slopes dotted with snow, and a friendly and euphoric atmosphere that you won't find anywhere else in the world."

Edinburgh's Festival and Events Champion Cllr Steve Cardownie said: "Once again Edinburgh has shown the world how to party and bring in the New Year in style. There was a fantastic atmosphere at the Street Party and you could sense a real buzz of contagious excitement as the night went on. The performers were great and the crowds seemed to love every minute of it - I certainly did."

He added: "Images of Edinburgh at its very best were beamed across the globe last night so I think we can all be proud of our city."

Madness, Noisettes and Codeine Velvet Club played to a sell-out Concert in the Gardens. Leading Scottish and International artists entertained revellers on three stages along the length of Princes Street.

Among the highlights were DJ sets from Mylo, Snow Patrol and Belle and Sebastian while The Enemy played on the stage at Waverley Bridge. (EdinburghGuide.com's Euan Andrews will be filing a Hogmanay music review later).

Fifty street cleaning staff collected approx 30 tonnes of litter over a 15-hour shift period which began at 2.30am after revellers cleared Princes Street. They expect to have the clean up completed by 5.30pm on New Year's Day.

Edinburgh's Hogmanay five day Hogmanay celebrations continues later today, 1st January in RE:FORMATION DAY with a wide ranging programme of events centred around the foot and top of the Royal Mile. Edinburgh's Hogmanay