Hogmanay Fireworks Factoids

As we begin the countdown to tonight's epic fireworks finale to Edinburgh's Hogamanay celebrations, here's a few factoids to share with those around you on Princes Street as you wait for midnight.

Small 'countdown' displays will take place on the hour at 9pm, 10pm, 11pm before the climactic midnight display (at midnight!).

If all the fireworks in the midnight display were fired individually, instead of all at once, the display would last FOUR HOURS instead of just five minutes!

And if the combined height of all the fireworks were laid out end-to-end, the distance covered would reach from Edinburgh to Paris, nearly 700 miles!

Setting up the fireworks at Edinburgh Castle, Princes Street Gardens and Calton Hill takes a crew of 14 technicians from Titanium Fireworks more than five days on site...

The display itself features over 2,000 electrical cues to ignite over 11,000 fireworks in 18 different shades of colour. 

Midnight on Hogmanay marks the only time in the year when the clock on the Balmoral Hotel, above Waverley Station, tells the correct time - ordinarily it runs a couple of minutes fast as a service to ensure passengers heading for trains don't miss them.

Be sure to wrap up warm if you're out in town for the celebrations tonight, and enjoy the unique celebration of Edinburgh's Hogmanay, and have a very happy start to the new year!

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