A FIELD GUIDE TO BRITAIN’S STRANGE & WONDERFUL DAYS OUT 145 EVENTS · ENGLAND · SCOTLAND · WALES · NORTHERN IRELAND

ROUND-UP GUIDE · 6 EVENTS

Scotland’s winter fire festivals.

Stonehaven swings fireballs, Comrie carries flambeaux and Biggar builds its Hogmanay bonfire. January brings Burghead’s Clavie and Shetland’s fire-festival traditions. The flames may be what draws you, but every community keeps its own date, procession and rules for spectators.

Pick one gathering and build a sensible winter journey around it. A ticket to one part of a festival won't necessarily get you into its halls or evening events. Check road restrictions, weather advice and your way home with the organiser before you go. The Shetland events need travel planning all of their own; they're not a quick extra stop after a mainland evening.

At a glance

  1. Biggar Hogmanay Bonfire 31 December 2026 · Biggar, South Lanarkshire Stay nearby ↗
  2. Comrie Flambeaux 31 December 2026 – 1 January 2027 · Comrie, Perthshire Stay nearby ↗
  3. Stonehaven Fireballs 31 December 2026 – 1 January 2027 · Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire Stay nearby ↗
  4. Scalloway Fire Festival 8 January 2027 · Scalloway, Shetland Stay nearby ↗
  5. Burning of the Clavie 11 January 2027 · Burghead, Moray Stay nearby ↗
  6. Up Helly Aa 26 January 2027 · Lerwick, Shetland Stay nearby ↗
Traditional date

Fire tradition · Scotland

Biggar Hogmanay Bonfire

Biggar, South Lanarkshire

A piped torchlit procession leads to a huge bonfire on Biggar High Street at Hogmanay.

Free to watchFamily

31 December 2026

Traditional date

Fire tradition · Scotland

Comrie Flambeaux

Comrie, Perthshire

Flaming birch-pole torches are paraded round Comrie at midnight, then thrown in the River Earn.

Free to watchFamily

31 December 2026 – 1 January 2027

Traditional date

Fire tradition · Scotland

Stonehaven Fireballs

Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire

Fireball swingers parade at midnight to welcome the New Year.

Free to watch

31 December 2026 – 1 January 2027

Date announced

Fire tradition · Scotland

Scalloway Fire Festival

Scalloway, Shetland

A torchlit procession brings a Viking galley to Scalloway’s waterfront for burning.

Family

8 January 2027

Traditional date

Fire tradition · Scotland

Burning of the Clavie

Burghead, Moray

A burning barrel is carried through town as part of a local custom.

Free to watchFamily

11 January 2027

Date announced

Fire tradition · Scotland

Up Helly Aa

Lerwick, Shetland

Torchlit procession culminating in the burning of a galley.

Family

26 January 2027

“Stay nearby” links go to Booking.com, and each event guide also has train links. These are affiliate links — what that means.