With just two weeks to go until First Footin’ transforms the Capital into a free, city-wide music trail, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay has announced the event will include live streaming for the first time, opening the New Year’s Day performances to audiences around the world.
To mark the announcement, members of Tinderbox Orchestra, plus award-winning fiddler and First Footin’ co-curator Aidan O’Rourke and classical pianist and talented singer-songwriter Chiara Lordi, gathered outside St Giles’ yesterday for a pop-up performance, tuning up for their gigs on 1 January.
Running as part of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay’s four-day celebrations from 29 December to 1 January, First Footin’ invites audiences to explore iconic venues and beloved spaces across the city, backed by a diverse programme of free live music.
For the first time, audiences unable to attend in person will be able to experience First Footin’ with live streams from both St. Giles’ Cathedral and Greyfriars Kirk, broadcast between 2–6pm on New Year’s Day via www.edinburghshogmanay.com. The new live streaming offering extends the reach of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations beyond the Capital, sharing the city’s music, culture and atmosphere with a global audience.
Online audiences will be able to enjoy live performances from Tinderbox Orchestra with special guests Rachel Sermanni, James Emmanuel and Kathryn Joesph in St. Giles’, whilst Greyfriars Kirks presents electro-trad pioneers Valtos and special guests from the Basque Country including Maren, Mikel Urdangarin and Olaia Inziarte, for an afternoon of incredible music and collaborations.
TWO WEEKS TO GO: FIRST FOOTIN’ GOES GLOBAL WITH LIVE STREAMING ANNOUNCED FROM EDINBURGH’S ICONIC VENUES
Tinderbox tunes up for First Footin’ ahead of their performance on 1 January, joined by Aidan O’Rourke and Chiara Lordi
With just two weeks to go until First Footin’ transforms the Capital into a free, city-wide music trail, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay has announced the event will include live streaming for the first time, opening the New Year’s Day performances to audiences around the world.
Running as part of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay’s four-day celebrations from 29 December to 1 January, First Footin’ invites audiences to explore iconic venues and beloved spaces across the city, backed by a diverse programme of free live music.
For the first time, audiences unable to attend in person will be able to experience First Footin’ with live streams from both St. Giles’ Cathedral and Greyfriars Kirk, broadcast between 2–6pm on New Year’s Day via www.edinburghshogmanay.com. The new live streaming offering extends the reach of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations beyond the Capital, sharing the city’s music, culture and atmosphere with a global audience.
To mark the announcement, members of Tinderbox Orchestra, plus award-winning fiddler and First Footin’ co-curator Aidan O’Rourke and classical pianist and talented singer-songwriter Chiara Lordi, gathered outside St Giles’ this morning for a pop-up performance, tuning up for their gigs on 1 January.
With performances spanning music, spoken word, and family events, First Footin’ 2026 invites audiences to cross the threshold into a new year surrounded by creativity, friendship, and shared celebration, from the streets of Grassmarket to the atmospheric spaces of St Giles’ and Greyfriars Kirk.
Made possible with funding from the Scottish Government Festivals EXPO Fund through Creative Scotland, the event forms part of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay’s four-day programme, which also includes the Torchlight Procession on 29 December, the Night Afore Concert on 30 December headlined by Peat & Diesel, and the world-famous Street Party and Midnight Moment fireworks on Hogmanay itself, along with the flagship Concert in the Gardens, this year headlined by Grammy Award-winning Wet Leg.
Celebrations extend into the evening with a programme of great live music in intimate venues with the First Footin’ Sessions with Cold Town Beer, taking place in city centre pubs Cold Town House, The Black Bull, The Huxley, Element, Copper Blossom, Boozy Cow and Auld Hundred hosting a series of performances.
Highlights include 2025’s Sound of Young Scotland winner Alice Faye, performing at Copper Blossom at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm, Pictish Trail (Solo) at Cold Town House plus Eamonn Coyne and Tom Oakes at The Black Bull from 6-9pm, and Ciaran Ryan and Paul Godray at Auld Hundred from6-9pm, giving audiences the chance to discover emerging and established Scottish talent.
Alongside the launch of live streaming, full set times for all First Footin’ events have now been announced, allowing audiences to plan their New Year’s Day music trail in advance. Music will be playing from 2pm – 9pm at St Giles’ Cathedral, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Hall, Eve at Virgin Hotel, Leith Arches, Fruitmarket, Rainy Hall, Gilded Saloon, Portobello Town Hall, The Scottish Cafe and more.
Full set times are listed below and at www.edinburghshogmanay.com.
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