Next: 26 Jan 2027
Up Helly Aa
Lerwick's Viking fire festival: a Guizer Jarl and hundreds of torch-bearers burn a galley ship on the last Tuesday of January.
When is Up Helly Aa in 2027?
Up Helly Aa 2027 is on Tuesday, 26 January 2027. Other years: 2026, Tuesday, 27 January 2026; 2028, Tuesday, 25 January 2028.
About Up Helly Aa
Up Helly Aa is the fire festival of the Shetland Islands, held in Lerwick on the last Tuesday of January, and marks the end of the Yuletide season. It looks back to the islands' Norse heritage. During the day, the Guizer Jarl, the chief of the festival, and his squad of men dressed as Vikings, in helmets and shields, march through the town. In the evening, nearly a thousand men carrying flaming torches follow a replica Viking galley through the streets, and, to the singing of "The Norseman's Home", throw their torches into the ship until it burns down. The squads, called guizers, then spend the night visiting halls where they perform songs and sketches. The festival is organised by the community and, traditionally, only local men take part in the procession.
Up Helly Aa dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Up Helly Aa date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday, 27 January 2026 |
| 2027 | Tuesday, 26 January 2027 |
| 2028 | Tuesday, 25 January 2028 |
What is eaten
- bannocks
- reestit mutton
- Shetland bruck
Also part of it, and being written: Viking ship (The galley that is burned.), Shetland (The island group.), Guizer (The costumed performers.).
More marked on Up Helly Aa
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Up Helly Aa" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.