Shetland lies closer to Bergen in Norway than to Edinburgh, and its Norse heritage runs deep. Every winter, the islands celebrate it with Up Helly Aa — a series of fire festivals in which costumed 'guizers' march with burning torches and then burn a replica Viking galley. The largest, in the islands' capital Lerwick, always takes place on the last Tuesday of January. In 2027 that is Tuesday, January 26.
Not as Old as It Looks
Despite the Viking helmets and longships, Up Helly Aa is not an ancient Norse ritual. It grew out of rowdy winter customs in 19th-century Lerwick, when groups of young men dragged barrels of burning tar through the streets during the Yule season. The authorities eventually discouraged the tar barrels, and in the 1870s and 1880s the celebration was reorganised into a more orderly torchlight procession. The name Up Helly Aa came into use around this time, and the burning of a galley was added in the 1880s.
The Guizer Jarl and the Jarl Squad
The festival's central figure is the Guizer Jarl, the chief guizer, who leads the Jarl Squad dressed in elaborate Viking costume. Each year the Jarl takes the name of a character from the Norse sagas, and the name and costume are kept secret until the day. Full Viking costume for the Jarl Squad became standard in the early 1920s. Being chosen as Jarl is a huge honour in Shetland, and preparation for the role takes years.
The Galley
A volunteer team spends months building a full-size wooden galley for each year's festival, starting the previous autumn. On festival night, after the procession, the guizers throw their torches into the galley and it burns completely. All that work disappears in minutes — and that is the point.
What Happens on the Day
- Morning: the Jarl Squad marches through Lerwick with the galley, and the Bill — a large board with satirical comments on local events — is unveiled at the Market Cross.
- During the day: the Jarl Squad visits schools, care homes and the hospital.
- Evening: hundreds of guizers in costume light their torches for the procession through the dark streets.
- Galley burning: the procession ends at the burning site, where the torches are thrown into the galley.
- Night: guizer squads perform skits at halls across town in parties that run until morning.
The official Up Helly Aa website states that in 2027 the procession lights up at 19:30 on the Hillhead, below Lerwick Town Hall. Check the official site closer to the date for any changes.
Women in the Procession
For most of its history, the Lerwick procession was for men only. Ahead of the 2023 festival the Lerwick Up Helly Aa committee changed the rules, and women and girls took part in the torchlight procession for the first time. Several of Shetland's smaller rural Up Helly Aa festivals already included women.
Travel tip: Getting to Shetland takes planning. NorthLink Ferries sail overnight from Aberdeen to Lerwick, and Loganair flies to Sumburgh Airport from mainland Scottish airports. Accommodation in Lerwick is limited and fills up for Up Helly Aa, so book as early as possible. Watching the procession from the streets is free; tickets to the evening halls are much harder to get.
Other Up Helly Aa Festivals
Lerwick's is the biggest, but around ten smaller Up Helly Aa festivals take place in other Shetland communities between January and March. They are more intimate and can be easier to fit into a trip. VisitShetland lists the dates each year.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Up Helly Aa 2027?
Lerwick's Up Helly Aa is on Tuesday, January 26, 2027. It is always held on the last Tuesday of January.
Is Up Helly Aa really a Viking festival?
It celebrates Shetland's Norse heritage, but the festival itself developed in the 19th century from local winter customs. It is not a surviving Viking ritual.
Can tourists take part?
Visitors can watch the procession and galley burning for free. Marching as a guizer is generally for members of the local squads.
Travel Guides Finder Editorial Team
Editorial Team
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