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The Street Party and Concert in the Gardens

Street Party stage31 December. Entertainment starts 10pm. No admission after 11pm

Princes Street and surrounding area

Options from £10 to £42.50. Details below. No admission without a pre-booked ticket

Ticket news, updated 29 December:  The cheaper basic passes and "Party Plus" packs are now sold out, but you can still get in with a ticket for the Concert in the Gardens, Ceilidh in the Gardens or new event Boogie Wonderland.

The best-known of Edinburgh's Hogmanay events, a trip to the Street Party is a rite of passage for party-goers around the world. Since its quiet beginnings in the early 90's, the event's grown to accommodate almost 100,000 revellers, all packing into the environs of Princes Street right in the centre of town.

At heart, the Street Party's a one-night music festival, with six stages spread throughout the Princes Street area. This year's main stage is headlined by big-beat duo Groove Armada, who saw in the last New year playing Bondi Beach in Sydney; they're backed up by Paisley-born Brit nominee Paolo Nutini, and band-of-the-moment Friendly Fires.

   
 

Safety and security - what to expect

The Street Party has a proud reputation as a friendly and safe event, despite the prodigious quantities of alcohol consumed. This comes at a cost, though - so to make the most of your evening, be sure you're in line with the security rules.

There is absolutely no entry without a pass. You'll be amazed at the size of the barriers they put up - there really is no way round this restriction.

Get there early. There's no admission after 11pm.

You're allowed to bring in booze, but glass containers will be confiscated at the gate. Bags may be searched. There are bars available inside the Street Party, though they're obviously very busy.

Don't indulge in too much New Year cheer before you arrive. Police may turn away guests "under the influence of excessive alcohol".

 
   
You need a special Concert in the Gardens ticket to get a first-hand view of the main stage, but the action's relayed to the hoi polloi using big screens on Princes Street. Unless you're a die-hard fan of the band in question, the basic Street Party Pass may well be enough for you - and some even suggest the atmosphere's better out in the public area.

Those without concert tickets also have four public stages to choose from, each running three hour-long sets. There's a popular outdoor ceilidh (or Scottish dance) as well, though once again you need a special ticket - and ceilidh-lovers might prefer the indoor event at The Hoog.

When all's said and done, the Street Party's a simple proposition: a great excuse to get up close and personal with 100,000 like-minded revellers, drink a lot, bounce around insanely, and share the excitement as the bells approach. After the big-screen countdown and the fireworks are done, expect to be hugged, kissed or hand-shaken by an uncountable number of utter strangers - before partying some more and then, head ringing, rolling very late home.

Getting the right ticket

As the Street Party has grown in size, so its ticketing system has grown ever more bamboozling. There are now no fewer than four different options, which range in price from £10 to over £40, and grant access to different bits of the shindig. (We're sorry to say that free passes for Edinburgh residents ended in 2004.)

A basic pass (£10) gets you access to the city centre area, and four stages located at Waverley, the Scott Monument, the Mound and the West End. The full running-order on those stages isn't available yet, but you can find headline details on the Hogmanay website.

So-called Pass Plus packs (£17) contain a pass and - wait for it - a beanie hat. They don't give you access to any extra areas. Cynics suggest the main use of Pass Plus is to get into the event once the £10 tickets have all been sold.

To see headliners Groove Armada and their guests, you'll need Concert in the Gardens tickets.  For the first time this year, there are two classes of ticket: the cheaper ones set you back £37.50, while to gain access to the stage enclosure, you'll have to pay a whopping £42.50. Both classes of ticket will get you into the less crowded gardens area, with extra beer tents and much nicer toilets. Of course, you can also venture out to the three "public" stages.

Finally, Ceilidh in the Gardens tickets get you into the area round the Mound, including the ceilidh dance floor and the stage where three local bands play in the bells. These tickets also cost £37.50, and again include access to the public areas (but not to the Concert in the Gardens). The ceilidh's usually the last event to sell out - so these tickets can work as a last-ditch way to get into the main Street Party.

All tickets are available online, and from the usual Hogmanay ticket outlets.

The picture of the Street Party was taken by smudie.  Our thanks to him or her for releasing the image under the Creative Commons Attribution Licence.
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