Inverness is set to stage the largest Hogmanay ceilidh on the planet! Some of Scotland’s top traditional musicians and singers will be welcoming in the New Year and inviting everyone to get involved Hogmanay is all about tradition and bringing people together. That is exactly what our Inverness celebrations are all about. We’re going back to the traditional ceilidh where the dances are mixed with guest singers and musicians and we come together to reflect on the past year and look forward to the next.

Everyone is invited to join the procession which will be led by Pyro Celtica and Harbinger Drumming Group who have previously led Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations.

The procession will end at the Northern Meeting Park. In a change to previous years the event will be more about participating than just listening to bands. We want people to really engage with what Hogmanay is all about. We’ve got one of Scotland’s Finest Ceilidh bands, Highland Fire who include local lads Calum MacPhail and Sean Cousins from the band Horo, to keep the dancers moving. Then in those moments when a rest is required we have the absolute best from Scotland’s traditional music scene.

Skipinnish’s very own Norrie MacIver will be joining for some songs in both English and Gaelic. We also have three-time winner of the Scots Trad Music Award and BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winner Siobhan Miller to lead us up to the bells. Our instrumental fireworks will be provided by multi- award winning duo Ali Hutton and Ross Ainslie who were the driving force behind The Treacherous Orchestra. They’ll be joined by Ewan Robertson from current winners of the “Scots Folk Band of the year” Breabach.

Anyone who wishes to join us for the Ceilidh at Northern Meeting Park will be required to purchase a general admission ticket. Holders of plus one cards will gain entry but will have to be shown on arrival.

The Parade element of the evening is free for anyone to join.

* All under 18’s must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
* Maximum of 2 under 18’s per adult.
* Tickets are non-refundable.

Important Information:

The Red Hot Highland Fling at Northern Meeting Park is an outdoor event. Please bear in mind that this is an open space with no shelter and specified seating.

Due to the nature of a Ceilidh there will be a lot of movement and dancing, this is not a concert but a ceilidh relying on you the crowd to participate in the action to add to the atmosphere.

This is a licensed event with there being a bar and a number of food traders on site for you to enjoy. Due to the license you will not be permitted to bring in any alcohol to the event.

Infants under the age of 12 months in a baby carrier will not require a ticket to gain entrance to the event, however any child over the age of one or an infant in a pram will require a ticket to gain entry due to capacity restrictions.

We advise that you dress accordingly for the weather.