From January to March, the Shetland Islands come alive with a whole host of Viking themed fire festivals, known as Up Helly Aa.
These celebrations usually feature a Jarl or Viking Squad, a procession, the burning of a Viking-style galley or longboat, plus much dancing and merriment. First up, and perhaps the most famous of these celebrations is Lerwick’s Up Helly Aa…
Lerwick Up Helly Aa
The torchlit procession at Lerwick Up Helly Aa
When: 29th January 2019, marching events take place from 9am
Where: Lerwick, Shetland mainland
£: Anyone can view the morning marches and the evening procession. Spectators may watch from the pavements alongside the roads, no tickets are required.
What is it?
Up Helly Aa in Lerwick claims to be Europe’s largest fire festival and has been an annual tradition since the 1880s.
The emergence of Yuletide and New Year festivities in Lerwick came some time after the Napoleonic Wars, when soldiers and sailors came home with rowdy habits and a taste for firearms. As Lerwick grew in size, the celebrations became more elaborate.
A torchlit procession and Viking themes began to be introduced to the town’s festival. In the late 1880s a Viking longboat – the ‘galley’ – appeared. Then, after the First World War there was a squad of Vikings, known as the ‘Guizer Jarl Squad’ added to the procession.
The processions are now world-famous and the Guizer Jarl, the leader of a 50-strong squad, is usually dressed in the finest Viking armour. The squad make their own suits for the procession, as well as the accompanying weapons such as axes, swords, spears, daggers, bows and crossbows!
The replica boat is made by local tradesmen and is painted to match the Jarl Squad’s suits. Over 1000 torches are made for these processions. So it’s a sight not to be missed.
This year’s procession will light up at 7.30pm and head through the town to the site where the galley is then burnt. Following the procession the squads head to the local halls for dancing and merriment.
More info: www.uphellyaa.org/up-helly-aa-2019
Uyeasound Up Helly Aa
Members of Uyeasound’s Jarl Squad (Photo: Mike Pennington)
When: 8th February 2019
Where: Uyeasound, Unst, Shetland
£: Free
What is it?
This year’s Uyeasound Up Helly Aa will take place on Friday 8th February. Uyeasound’s Up Helly Aa is the first of two such annual events to be held on Unst, the other being at Norwick.
Uyeasound’s Up Helly Aa is similar to Lerwick’s (although not as big) with Vikings, longboats, and torchlit processions. Throughout the day the Viking squad visit various places on Unst, before the evening procession.
The large procession takes place with the Viking squad carrying their flaming torches, before the burning of the longboat and a large bonfire round off the evening. Afterwards the squad and the spectators make their way to the Uyeasound Hall for a night of dancing.
More info: www.shetland.org
Northmavine Up Helly Aa
When: 15th February 2019
Where: Hillswick, Northmavine, Shetland mainland
£: Free to watch
What is it?
Northmavine’s Up Helly Aa celebrations were revived 1975 and are held on the third Friday of February each year. The areas of Sullom, Ollaberry, North Roe, Eshaness and Hillswick come together to host the event, working on the Viking style costumes, helmets, shields and weapons throughout the year, just for this one night.
On the morning of Up Helly Aa the galley can be seen on the waterfront, and all being well you might even see a galley floated off on the water at Hillswick.
The evening, of course, is the main event. Torches are lit and the procession begins, with each guizer carrying one of the flaming torches whilst singing. The longship is pulled over a quarter of a mile along a country road from Hillswick Hall until they reach the shores of Wadill Loch. Here the galley is set adrift and the flaming torches are thrown onto the ship. A Nordic song is then sung to accompany the burning.
Following the burning of the Viking galley, events move to the local halls where the celebrations continue in true Shetland/Viking style.
More info: www.heard.shetland.co.uk/index.html
Cullivoe Up Helly Aa
Galley burning at Lerwick
When: 22nd February 2019
Where: Cullivoe, Yell, Shetland
£: Free to watch
What is it?
Cullivoe’s celebration is a real community affair, with the Jarl Squad spending the daytime visiting schools and elderly members of the community. As with the other Up Helly Aa events, the evening sees a procession taking place with a Jarl Squad marching their galley from the local hall to the marina. The procession usually begins at around 7pm.
Once at the marina, the galley is set alight and floated out to sea. Following the burning, the squad heads to the hall and local school to perform for the community. When the squads are finished, the dancing and merriment begins in the hall and continues long into the early hours!
More info: cullivoeuphellyaa.com
South Mainland Up Helly Aa
When: 8th March 2019
Where: South Mainland, Shetland
£: Free to watch the procession. Events in the halls are ticketed.
What is it?
The South Mainland Up Helly Aa is the newest of the Shetland fire festivals, having started in 2010. The Jarl Squad, made up of men, women and children, will spend the day visiting the local halls and schools, until the evening when the main procession begins.
Around 400 torches are burned for the evening procession. The galley (built by members of the SMUHA committee, the Jarl Squad and interested helpers), is burnt while afloat at Gulberwick beach. Again, there is dancing in the local halls until the wee hours.
More info: www.smuha.org and www.facebook.com/South-Mainland-Up-Helly-Aa
Delting Up Helly Aa
Galley burning in the sea at Delting Up Helly Aa
When: 15th March 2019
Where: Delting, Shetland mainland
£: Free to watch the procession
What is it?
Delting Up Helly Aa is the last of these events to take place, and closes the Viking fire festival season. It takes place annually on the third Friday in March.
The first Delting Up Helly Aa took place in 1970 and the celebration has all the usual festivities including a Jarl Squad, evening torch lit procession and the partying in the local halls. In the build up to Up Helly Aa, the boat building and other preparations that go into the event, can be followed on their Facebook page, giving some idea of the hard work that goes into these celebrations.
More info: www.facebook.com/Delting-Up-Helly-Aa
Up Helly Aa celebrations also take place at Nesting & Girlsta (8th February), Bressay (22nd February), and Norwick (23rd February).