- What: Eight huge torches parade around the village for New Year's
- When: From about 11:30p.m., New Year's Eve.
- Where: The Perthshire Village of Comrie in Scotland, about 19 miles west of Perth. There is bus service from Perth.
- Admission: Free
- Telephone: +44 (0) 1764 652 578
The trees blaze
Some towns may have bigger bonfires or torchlight parades with more torches, but few are as impressive as the Comrie Flambeaux. The torches are made from small birch trees, felled in October. In November they are wrapped in hessian fabric - potato sacks usually - and then soaked in paraffin for weeks. In the end, the flaming part of the torch can be ten feet long.The party sets off from a dyke near Comrie's old churchyard. Torches are lit at midnight and carried through the town by strong young men. There are pipers, of course, a massive bonfire, and sometimes a costume competition. Then the torches are thrown from a bridge into the River Earn, taking a whole year's worth of evil spirits with them.
