Access All AreasWhat: Edinburgh’s Hogmanay
Where: Various locations in Edinburgh
When: 31 December
Organiser: Underbelly
Rachel Sivills-McCann, event producer for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay
Evolution
Since Underbelly took on the contract for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay two years ago, the programme has been refreshed and reenergised, with the Party returning to the Street. In addition to international music artists (this year the event was headlined by Mark Ronson, the first time a DJ has had top billing), each year a host of international street theatre companies delight and surprise our audience with their immersive and interactive performances throughout the arena. All of this content is filmed and edited into a live programme which is broadcast across 11 screens throughout the arena, so that wherever the audience is they are being entertained.
Challenges
One of the biggest challenges is creating a festival site in a city centre where business is continuing as usual around us. We work closely with a large number of partners to try to minimise disruption to businesses and residents, with our teams on the ground working round the clock to build, and remove, the majority of the infrastructure within a 40 hour period which is no mean feat.
Key suppliers
We use a huge a number of suppliers across Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party, but particular mention should go to Media Traffic and Progress for all of our screen content and broadcast infrastructure, and Direct Control for the event fibre network. Catalyst Event Production Services, Live Barriers and Arena Fencing, Showtec for local crewing and Ian Gilmore Transport for haulage. And Titanium Fireworks, who work closely with our creative team to design and choreograph incredible displays for us throughout the night, but especially the focal midnight moment.
Interview by Stuart Wood.