FEBRUARY | BIGGER PICTURE
The 31st State
What: 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. More online (accessaa.co.uk)...
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