Where: Lerwick, Shetland
£: Free to watch the morning marching and evening procession. The evening Town Hall event is ticketed (£30) with limited availability.
What is it?
Up Helly Aa in Lerwick is Europe’s largest fire festival and has been an annual tradition since around the 1880s. The festival features fire-lit processions, a Viking longboat burning, as well as dancing and singing.
Junior processions take place from 5.30pm with the main procession following at around 7.30pm when the torches are lit to create a wonderful spectacle in the dark. The procession complete with replica longboat heads towards the King George V playing field where the galley is then burnt.
Following the procession the squads head to the halls for dancing and merriment.
More info: www.uphellyaa.org
Here’s a video link of the Shetland fire festival – Up Helly Aa
http://youtu.be/TnoBun80YVQ