Preparations underway for New Year celebrations in Edinburgh

Preparations for the New Year celebration in Edinburgh or Edinburgh's Hogmanay are underway on Tuesday to ensure people can enjoy a safe event and happy new year.

The three-day celebrations will kick off on December 30. In the evening, a torchlight procession of 10,000 torchbearers is expected to illuminate the streets of the city center, according to the organizers.

About 30,000 spectators will be viewing the event along the route, organizers estimate.

The procession will be followed by Thursday's Concert in the Gardens and firework displays. 75,000 people are planned to join hands to sing Auld Lang Syne on New Year's Eve, which falls on Thursday this year.

The celebrations will continue on New Year's Day with free activities open to citizens.

Tickets for the celebrations have been purchased from over 80 countries, Pete Irvine, Director of Unique Events who have produced Edinburgh's Hogmanay on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council since 1993, said at a press conference.

This year's event budgets are strong with economic input from the city council and ticket sales are good, Irvine said.

Richard Lewis, Edinburgh's Festival and Events Champion, said the celebration event aims to enhance Edinburgh's city map of international profile, with media broadcasting live from the Street Party and viewed by audience around the world, and travel bloggers visiting Edinburgh from as far as China, the United States, Australia, Canada, France and Germany as well as across Britain.

Security measures are taken to ensure people can have safe holidays. There is no specific threat reported, but the police will stay alert, according to Scottish police authority. Enditem