Comrie Flambeaux

How it began

Nobody can put a date on the flambeaux, but the village calls it a centuries-old tradition, and it is generally thought to come from an old fire-cleansing custom meant to drive away evil spirits and bring good luck for the year ahead. Throwing the torches into the river carries the bad luck away with them. Comrie is fiercely proud of it: when public events were cancelled in 2020 and 2021, four flambeaux were still carried secretly through the empty streets so that the chain was not broken. The parade is run by volunteers and paid for by village fundraising.

What happens on the day

The evening builds in stages. The children’s fancy dress parade comes first in the early evening, then a fireworks display at the Boulevard. Later the village gathers in Melville Square for the judging of the adult fancy dress and floats, and at midnight the flambeaux are lit. Led by the pipe band and followed by the costumed revellers, the torch-bearers march the flaming poles around the village streets. The procession ends at Dalginross Bridge, where the torches are hurled into the River Earn in a shower of sparks. Between the early events and midnight, the village pubs and homes keep the evening going, and the square fills up steadily as the bells approach.

Tips for the day

The torches are carried by locals, so visitors watch. Find a spot along the route or near the bridge, but give the flaming poles plenty of room. The early-evening children’s parade and fireworks are the best part for younger visitors. Wrap up very warmly, as it is all outdoors at midnight in a Perthshire winter, and bring a torch for walking back. Bringing a few coins for the volunteers’ collection buckets helps keep the tradition alive. Afterwards, the walk back through the dark village with the smell of smoke in the air is part of the magic.

Joining in

The historical programme on the village’s community website splits the evening into separate strands: children’s fancy dress, adult fancy dress and the midnight Flambeaux parade. Dressing up doesn’t put a lit torch in your hand. To join a costume gathering, or to ask about helping with the flambeaux, have a word with the committee.

That page looks back to the celebrations resuming after the public events were cancelled in 2020 and 2021, so it isn’t the 2026 programme; wait for the new announcement before pencilling times into your diary. When it arrives, see which activities are on, where to gather and whether your group needs to register. Pick a costume you can walk in and actually see out of, and simple enough to let you follow the organisers’ instructions. Above all, give the people preparing and carrying the torches plenty of room: a village celebration runs best when visitors leave them space to work.

Questions people ask

Where it is

The pin shows the approximate area. Open in OpenStreetMap