Top 10 New Year's Eve celebrations

Round of 2011 with an event to remember; see whole generations of families carrying flaming tar barrels through a town in Northumbria, a procession that features a dressed-up mare skull in Wales or perhaps just go for a night time fun run..

1. Nos Galan Races – 5km run round Mountain Ash in the Cynon Valley, South Wales.
The Nos Galan Race is a 5km fun run round the town to celebrate the Welsh runner Guto Nyth Bran and his legendary athletic powers. The event begins at 4.30pm with street entertainment and a fire act. The childrens’ races starts at 5.15pm after which a mystery sports celebrity arrives to light the beacon. After a firework display the adult races begin and then prizes are presented.

2. New Years Eve Winter Carnival, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
A Norse mythology and Viking folklore-themed winter carnival with a Thor, the Black Elves, Odins wolves and Heimdall on his white stallion, with folk music and carnival performers. The carnival performance begins at 3pm and at 5.15pm the parade moves from Monument along Northumberland Street the Civic Centre with a musical firework finale at 6pm.

3. Hogmanay Fireball Procession, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire
At midnight, 60 fireball swingers parade down the High Street swinging their lit 2ft round cages filled with paraffin soaked rags in a spectacular display to celebrate Hogmanay.

4. New Years Eve Fancy Dress Revelry, Weymouth
Revellers gather in the town centre and harbour in the evening to bring in the New Year. Anything goes with regards to outfits and traditional songs are sung by all around the Jubilee Clock to bring in the New Year.

5. Comrie Flambeaux, Comrie, Perthshire, Scotland
Torches made from long thick birch poles with tarred rags bound tightly to the tops. As the bells of Big Ben mark midnight the torches are lit and paraded around the village to the sounds of a pipe band. At the Dalginross Bridge the torches are cast into the River Earn to cast out evil spirits.

6. The New Year's Eve celebrations at St. Ives, Cornwall
In St Ives the streets are closed in order for fancy dressed revelers to bring in the New Year. At the stroke of midnight, the bells ring, the fireworks begin and if the tide is out the party continues on the beach.

8. Allendale Tar Barrels, Allendale, Northumbria
45 barrel carriers parade flaming tar filled whiskey barrels through the streets of Allendale in Northumbria. The barrel carriers are known as Guisers and some have taken part in the ritual for half a century; the procession is thought to be an ancient pagan tradition of fire worship. The parade culminates in the centre of the town as the barrels are thrown onto a bonfire with the cry of “be damned to he who throws last!”. The barrels are lit at 11.30pm but celebrations begin earlier on in the evening. (Photo: Go Britain)

9. Bideford, Devon
Thousands of people celebrate New Year on the quayside in Bideford from early evening onwards in fancy dress. There is street entertainment and dancing in the streets to live music and local DJ’s and all the pubs are packed to the rafters. As midnight approaches everyone gathers near the medieval Long Bridge waiting for the church bells to ring in the New Year.

10. Mari Lwyd and New Year walk from Neuadd, Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales
This torchlit walk includes the traditional New Year Mari Lwyd – a mare’s skull dressed in a sheet and ribbons - and makes for a wholly different way to bring in the New Year in the small but exciting town of Llanwrtyd Wells. The walk begins at 11pm from the town square but people gather at 10pm.

Here are some other fun New Year extravaganzas that fall around December and January…

Burning the Clocks, Brighton 21st December
Beautiful homemade willow and paper lanterns are paraded through the city and burnt on the beach to mark the end of the year and greet the lengthening of the days. Each lantern is unique and some are vast with dramatic designs, the event is ended with a fire show and fireworks. The parade starts at 6.30pm from North Street and reaches Madeira Drive at 7.15pm.

Up Helly Aa, Lerwick, The Shetland Islands, held on the last Tuesday in January
Up Helly Aa is known as Europe’s largest fire festival; preparations for outfits and parades begin in February the year before each celebration and the next day is a public day of holiday in Lerwick to allow recovery. There are many different things to do and see at the event but perhaps the most dramatic are the Viking squads, the torches and the procession. The days activities begin with the Guizer Jarl and Jarl Squad march at 8.30am in Lerwick town centre.