Celebrating the return of the light, Shetland style!
Up Helly Aa is Europe’s largest fire festival held annually in the wild and remote Shetland Islands. A Guizer Jarl Squad donned in their finest Viking attire leads a 900+ torch-lit procession through the streets of the town, culminating in a dramatic burning of a replica Viking longship. The main festival is held in Lerwick on the last Tuesday of January and marks the end of the Yule season. It also celebrates the return of the light after a long, dark winter. There are also smaller rural celebrations held in villages around the island throughout January through to March.
The first Up Helly Aa took place in 1876, and there is no cancellation for poor weather.
I’ve called Shetland home now for 19 years (where has the time gone?!) and so I’ve seen my fair share of Up Helly Aa processions over the years. To be honest, I now prefer watching the procession from the warm comfort of my living room these days via the live stream on UpHellyAa.org but the event is certainly one of those things you need to see, in person, at least once in your life.
The following are a collection of top tips (in no particular order of importance) on how to survive Up Helly Aa, and to what to expect if you’ve never been before.
1. Don’t wear your best new Goretex jacket to the procession, and don’t be offended if a complete stranger starts hitting your back and shoulders.
2. Waterproof everything! Yourself, your camera equipment, your mobile phone, everything! It’s Shetland in January, the weather is temperamental. Waterproof trousers are your friend.
3. Arrive early to get a good spot. The procession begins at 7:30 sharp, and you either want a spot right next to the wall so you can see the galley burning or a spot by the roadside so you can watch the procession go by. You can’t have both. Choose wisely.
4. Arrive early to Shetland too, if you’re visiting. Again, the weather can be temperamental so flights and ferry disruptions often occur this time of year. Give yourself a few days in advance, at least, to get here.
5. Book your accommodation well in advance (many months!) as finding a place to sleep in town becomes more difficult the longer you leave it.
6. The festivities begin early on Up Helly Aa day. You can catch the Guizer Jarl Squad march at 9:45 am from the British Legion through to Market Cross and down to the Esplanade (next to the Bressay ferry terminal) where they pose for photographs.
7. Wear comfy shoes!
8. Wear layers. Lots and lots of warm, non-flammable layers. Again, that temperamental weather.
9. Try and get tickets to a hall/venue for the evening. After the procession and burning the squads visit halls throughout the town, dancing and singing their acts. Hall tickets are usually invitation only, but ask at the Tourist Office if they can source some for you (either that or make friends with someone in Shetland beforehand – it’s all about who you know!).
10. If you do get tickets to a hall, pace yourself. This isn’t like a night out where the objective is to get drunk as quickly as possible. The partying can, and will, continue until 12 the next day. Take it easy on the booze (which you usually have to bring to the hall yourself).
11. At the halls, random guys will ask you to dance so be ready to learn a new dance.
12. The Guizer Jarl Squad visits the Shetland Museum and archives around 3 pm. Be prepared to wait though, sometimes for over an hour or so, but it’s well worth the wait.
12. Make reservations for your evening meal, as there are a lot of folk in town also wanting to eat before the procession.
13. Try the local food: reestit mutton soup with a Shetland bannock is a good warmer.
14. Designate meeting places in case anyone gets lost in the crowd. All the street lights get switched off for the procession and burning, and there are a lot of folk about. It’s easy to lose your people.
15. Dim your iPhone brightness settings if you’re filming/photographing the event! No one wants that glare in the way of their view. Switch off your camera flash too.
16. If you’re in a hall, check your venue’s shoe policy before you go and take a second pair (pumps or trainers) for walking home in. It’s going to be a long night!
17. Refuel regularly at the halls – the womenfolk have worked hard to prepare food for the whole night. Eat and be merry!
18. Tuck your hair up underneath your hat during the procession if you don’t want singed hair. If it’s windy those sparks can really fly.
19. The following Wednesday is an official holiday in Shetland. The schools are shut, there’s no postal delivery. Everyone is sleeping. You should sleep too.
20. Don’t forget your souvenirs! Knitted Viking helmet hats; Up Helly Aa chocolates, felted Vikings, you name it, we’ve got it! Check out the shops on the high street for gifts.
Have you been to Shetland’s Up Helly Aa fire festival? Would you add any tips to this list? Let me know in the comments!
Tasty Easy Lamb Stew with Herbed Dumplings
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Hi Elizabeth
We are coming this year.
When it says formal dress for the town hall does this mean suit for the men and dinner dress for the ladies?
Thanks
Ian
Hi Ian, apologies for the delay in replying – I had to make some enquiries! I’ve never been to the town hall night, so I wanted to make sure what I am telling you is correct. Smart casual is fine for the town hall, and no stilettos for the ladies as it ruins the floors. A nice suit and dinner dress would be perfect. I hope you enjoy the event!
Elizabeth, do you have any idea if you dont get hall tickets is there anything going on in the town the rest of the night? No blogs seem to mention anything. Are pubs open all night? There seems to only be a couple in town, can you even get in them?
Everyone talks about how amazing fest is and to get hall tickets but would be a bit useless if you’re stuck outside from 9pm and nothing’s going on….
cheers
Hi Tim, yes the pubs are all open, but not all night I’m afraid. It’s been years since I’ve frequented the pubs, so I’m not really sure where is the best place to go any more either, I’m afraid. The procession itself is an amazing thing to watch though.
Great tips! I’ve just booked and a little overwhelmed with the weather )). Where do you find this attire, (I’m in southern Italy)? You recommend changing before attending a hall? Thank you!
It’s not always terrible weather 🙂 I find the BBC weather map pretty reliable. You can get waterproofs at Cee & Jays just across from Healthcraft at the end of Commercial Street if you haven’t brought your own. Yes, I recommend changing first – you’ll have time before the squads start showing up at the halls. I hope you have a lovely time! 🙂
Hello, very helpful information so thank you. We’re coming to up helly aa in January and have tickets to a hall, not sure which one at the moment. Please can you advise on dress code at the hall and what you can do with all the waterproofs and excess layers for the night.
How exciting! I would personally change between the procession and going to the hall, but if you do need to take waterproofs there will be somewhere for you to store them, I’m sure. It all depends on the hall. Dress codes are fairly formal – everyone dresses up for the occasion. I hope you have a wonderful time and enjoy your trip to Shetland!
It has always been my wish to attend the Up Helly Aa festival and your post was truly motivating, Elizabeth! Thanks a bunch for the inspiring and enlightening guide!
THis is my first time hearing about this festival ! it looks very interesting and intense!
Wow fist time I hear about these kind of festivals, looks pretty intense!! Hope you had a good time!
Looks like a fun event to attend. I would definitely be in the far back away from the sparks and fire! LOL
This looks amazing and I am so with you on the comfy shoes!!
Wow, how wonderful that it’s been going for so long and what a fantastic looking event!
This looks awesome ! I love your handy tips for those of us thinking of going . It definitely is something I’d love to see !
OMG this looks so exciting. Its different to any kind of event that I’ve seen before xxx
This sounds interesting, I have never heard of this before but I bet it is a fun experience.
I’ve never heard of this before and it certainly sounds interesting!
I’ve never heard of this festival before but it looks really interesting and fun! You gave some brilliant advice 🙂
O. Boy! What a sight. Looks like a cool festival. Perfect for a toasty winter night 🙂
This Festival sounds like very intense! A bit too much fire for my taste, I would probably be glad not to be in the first row during the procession. Other than that, it sounds like a lot of fun and a nice way to discover different costumes!
I have never heard of this before, and it sounds like an interest event to attend. I’ll have to watch it on the live stream one year and maybe even get myself to one to experience it live
Oh wow. I have never heard of this before, but it looks amazing. I love abthing that has a lot of tradition to it.
Never heard of this before but it sure sounds like fun. Anything that includes a parade and lots of dancing, eating and being merry, I like. The tips are so useful for first-time visitors to Shetland. Thanks for posting.
This looks interesting. I want to experience these wave after wave of torches steeped in paraffin powering through the dark streets once the city falls into darkness.
Oh my! Looks like a quite a lively party – a roaring good time, in fact! Appreciate the tips from someone who has been there and have done it before!
I think I need to add this to my bucket list!
I had never heard of that festival before reading your post but it sounds fabulous! Although it seems a waste to burn something that has obviously had alot of time been spent on making it!
This looks such a cool festival!
What an exciting event! I’ve never heard of a fire festival. I assume the strangers pounding you on the back is to put out a fire? Great advice on the booze – I advise taking it easy, too. It’s hard to enjoy what you don’t remember.
This festival sounds so interesting and looks like you had an amazing time, considering it is in winters, would have been great around the warmth.
A cousin of mine has also told me about this beautiful place. That festival up there looks wicked cool! I’d love to visit and enjoy the place!
Oh wow, this looks amazing. I would love to visit Shetland so will have to time it right for next year
This advice can be applied to so many festivals. I know when I attend a festival for the first time I always like to get advice from someone who has been there already. I have never attended this festival but it has sparked my interest due to its history.
I never knew there was such a festival as this! But what a great idea considering how cold it is during the winters and being able to get warm with all the roaring fires! I think the waterproof tips are a must!
WOW …what an interesting festival. it looks like you had a blast. There are some tips here I wouldn’t have thought of… waterproofing for a fire festival.. but good point!
That sounds like my kind of festival. You go, have fun, eat, dance and then you leave and go back to your hotel. My worst kind of festival is where there is camping involved.
Thanks for the tips! Those photos are fantastic by the way, you can almost feel the heat and smell the smoke.
Id love to go to a fire festival! I love the tip about dimming your iPhone brightness. I always struggle to take good pics in bright settings.
Thumbs up for those practical and helpful tips that you mention. I haven’t been to that Up Helly AA festival but it sounds really fun!
This sounds like an amazing festival and it’s interesting to know that no matter how the weather is, it will still take place. Arriving a few days before is great advice, knowing that the ferries might not run because of the weather.
This sounds amazing we forget how much wonderful stuff goes on so close to home i think i will wait until the boys are a little older though so they can remember it
Oh My! That looks super dangerous, but fun at the same time!
Well, I will be completely honest and say that I have not heard about this before, so thank you for educating me and what an awesome guidepost. Hubby and I have an adventure spreadsheet (mini bucket list) and this has just been added and pinned. Thank you for sharing.
This sounds like something you definitely need to see at least once in your life. I love how you’ve highlighted the need for non-flammable clothing!
I have never heard of this festival before but it sounds like such a cool thing, a nice excuse to visit x
I remember my dad telling me about how he used to go to this, I have never been but these are some great tips for anyone wanting to attend x
What a fab experience and some great tips especially about waterproofing everything x
I’ve never heard of this festival before, however your photos look amazing. I like how much you’ve broken this down for anyone who hasn’t been before. So much to know 🙂
I love the fact Up Helly AA was invented by the Victorians! It definitely sounds like something that should appear on everyones bucket list.
It sounds really interesting. I’ve never heard of this festival before and although I think it would be a little difficult to watch it in person, it’s worth experiencing at least once like you mentioned.
How wonderful, I’d love to see Up Helly AA although it sounds cold!