Up Helly Aa – Viking History Festival
Shetland
Tuesday 30 January 2024
Basic Information
When: Tuesday 30 January 2024
Where: Lerwick, Shetland, UK
Map: Lerwick, Shetland on Google Maps
Official website: uphellyaa.org
Hotels: Hotels in Lerwick
About Up Helly Aa
One of Europe’s largest fire festivals, Up Helly Aa, has a rich history running almost every year since 1880.
Up Helly Aa is a small local festival with a solid international following, held in Shetland annually on the last Tuesday of January.
So, what about this festival that lures visitors to Shetland in the dead of winter?
Is it the pageantry of the torch-lit procession of the costume-clad guizers led by the Guizer Jarl?
Perhaps it’s the warmth thrown off the bonfire created by burning a 9-metre Viking longboat replica (known as the Galley)?
Or maybe it’s the chance to party with some of Europe’s hardiest partygoers as the drinking, dancing, and general merry-making go on through the night and into the next day?
Traditional music, especially fiddles, plays a significant role in the festival.
Festival History
Positioned between Scotland and Norway, Shetland has a strong Viking history.
Shetland was handed over to Scotland from Norway as part of a royal wedding dowry in 1469.
Traditionally the festival marked the end of Yule, but today it’s more about celebrating the island’s Viking heritage.
Each year a new chief is elected to wear the Viking suit of armour, known as the Guizer Jarl. Leads the Jarl Squad.
The Guizer Carl selects his Jarl Squad and leads the procession, replete in his helmet, shield, axe and dagger, with the Galley following behind.
Other guests are invited to form the rest of the squad members, and these guests must be locals to participate in the squad and procession.
Close to a thousand participate in the procession.
It usually starts at 19:30, taking a route through town to where the Galley is set alight at the Market Cross.
The firelight from the torches is the only lighting during the procession as the streetlights are turned off.
B&B
Enjoy local hospitality while staying at the Aald Harbour Bed & Breakfast.
Delightful rooms with bathrooms, free WiFi and fabulous reviews from their guests.
Getting to Up Helly Aa
There are flights from Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen to Sumburgh Airport, located approximately 40 km from the island’s capital, Lerwick.
Another option is the ferry running from Aberdeen to Lerwick – around 12 hours.
More About Shetland
The Shetland pony is well-known around the world.
This little beauty hails from the rugged archipelago known as the Shetland Islands.
Of the more than 100 islands, only 15 are inhabited.
The islands are bird lovers’ paradise and attract many walkers.
Otters and seals also draw visitors to the islands, especially during the weeks of the ‘simmer dim’ (the long summer twilight).
Its history, culture, creative industries, and musical traditions are great reasons to visit Shetland’s remote and fascinating islands.
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