The Street Party is perhaps the best-known event in Edinburgh's Hogmanay Festival calendar. The street party takes place the length on Princes Street, with live bands, dancing in the street, and street theatre troupes mingling with crowds.

The street party climaxes with the bells of Big Ben at midnight, and a dramatic fireworks display above Edinburgh Castle to herald in the New Year. This is followed by a joining of hands as the crowd sings Auld Lang Syne, a kissathon, and more partying into the wee wee hours both on the street and around the city.

The festivities get going when the stages and screens go live at 9pm. Access is by street party ticket and booze is permitted so long as it is not in glass containers. Free night buses are laid on for revellers.

Edinburgh's Hogmanay street party has been scaled back in recent years from 180,000/200,000 of the millennium party to around 100,000 and takes place within a smaller cordoned-off area.

Four stages for 2008

The 2008-2009 celebrations includes four live music stages, each with a distinct musical style:

The Waverley Stage is headlined by Glasvegas, supported by The Complete Stone Roses, Attic Lights and Broken Records

The Scott Monument Stage brings a more Scottish flavour with the Peatbog Faeries, supported by Moishie's Bagel, Burach and Watergaw.

The Mound Stage offers a more pop-flavoured line-up with the Great Calverto playing alongside Michelle McManus and the Concrete Jungle Collective

The West End DJ Stage, new in 2008-2009 Hogmanay, brings DJ sets from Hot Chip, Belle & Sebastian and B-Side & the Bandit (resident DJ at Sugarbeat).

In addition, the Mound Precinct space gets kitsch this year with a new ticketed event, Boogie Wonderland, that pays homage to DISCO, showcasting 70s tribute bands including an exclusive Silent Disco, all hosted by Forth One DJ ‘Boogie.'

Buying Hogmanay Street Party Tickets

£10 street party tickets can be bought from the box office on 0844 481 2009 or the web site (see related links at side).

Early bird tickets are available at half-price from 9am on Friday 3 October.

Each person can purchase a maximum of six tickets.