The tiny UK town that’s about to host one of world’s most incredible fire festivals

2019 Up Helly Aa Procession

Up Helly Aa is one of the most spectacular celebrations in the British Isles (Image: Getty)

Torch-lit streets, fantastical costumes and the unforgettable sight of a huge ship consumed by a sea of flame.

Up Helly Aa is one of the most spectacular celebrations in the British Isles and draws people from across the world to the remote and wildly beautiful Shetlands.

The event is traditionally held in the capital Lerwick on the last Tuesday in January (the 28th in 2025) and is just one of 12 fire festivals which run across the islands until March.

Inspired by its Viking past, the celebrations are filled with fiery symbolism, camaraderie, storytelling and community feasts.

The highlight of Lerwick’s festival is a spectacular torch-lit procession led by the Guizer Jarl (Chief Viking) and his Jarl Squad – a group of modern-day Vikings clad in elaborate costumes.

They are joined by around 45 other squads, dressed in a wide variety of disguises (participants are called guisers), with numbers usually swelling to around 1,000.

The parade finally descends on King George V playing fields where the guisers encircle a replica Viking longship, sing traditional songs and then hurl their four foot torches on to the galley to set it ablaze.

2019 Up Helly Aa Viking Procession

The highlight of Lerwick’s festival is a spectacular torch-lit procession led by Vikings (Image: Getty)

It is an extraordinary spectacle and deeply symbolic, marking the end of the long winter nights and the rebirth of the sun as the northern hemisphere edges towards spring.

Then the party really starts. Revellers retire to one of the 11 Up Helly Aa halls to carouse through the night and feast on traditional food including reestit mutton soup and bannocks.

Each squad visits every hall to perform and the festival finally comes to a close at breakfast time on Wednesday morning.

Up Helly Aa may last just 24 hours but it takes a year to prepare in great secrecy. Costumes are lovingly pieced together, a new longship is crafted through the winter months and the squads meticulously plan and rehearse their acts to make each year more fabulous than the last.

The Guiser Jarl has to serve on Lerwick’s Up Helly Aa committee for 15 years before taking on his role, which is considered a huge honour. His costume and the character from Norse saga he will portray is the most closely guarded secret of all.

The burning of Blaze Away, the Viking longship at Up Helly Aa

The burning of Blaze Away, the Viking longship at Up Helly Aa (Image: Getty)

Though the festival draws on ancient myths and traditions, its current form is a relatively recent fixture on the Shetland calendar. The first Lerwick Up Helly Aa was held in 1881 and it is still evolving; in 2024 women and girls were allowed to take part in the parade for the first time.

It’s also a chance to experience the authentic warmth and hospitality that Shetland is known for with its rugged beauty adding another layer of magic.

Lerwick itself has a population of 7,500 and is an attractive town of narrow streets, sandstone buildings and beautiful views out to sea. It was used to film much of the hit series Shetland and the house of fictional detective Jimmy Perez is one of the most photographed buildings on the islands.

Outside the capital, winter brings stunning, windswept landscapes, with rolling hills and dramatic coastlines bathed in soft, golden light.

The island’s rich biodiversity means you might catch sight of seals, otters, or even orcas making their way through the icy waters and there may be a glimpse of the Northern Lights, a natural spectacle that rivals the island’s human-made festivities.

Flights and ferries to Shetland are available from mainland Scotland, and early bookings are recommended.

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