FORGET the musical main stage and trudging through fields of mud for entertainment, this is a festival like no other.
Featuring lots of fire, this celebration has torchlit processions and the burning of a replica Viking ship.
The Shetland Islands have celebrated Up Helly Aa since the 1800s and have even dubbed it the ‘northern Mardi Gras’.
Traditionally, the festival is held to celebrate the end of ‘Yule season’ and kicks off on the last Tuesday in January.
The largest festival is held in Lerwick, Shetland’s capital, which which this year takes place on January 27, 2026.
The Viking inspired fire festival attracts thousands of visitors every year and involves a torchlit procession, led by the chief Viking (Guizer Jarl).
The chief is followed by The Jarl Squad who hold their torches while wearing Viking helmets, leather, and fur.
These are followed by other people, called guizers, with generally over 1,000 carrying burning torches through the streets of Lerwick.
After the procession, the guizers place their burning torches into a replica Viking longship.
Traditionally, guizers are men – although from 2023 the restrictions on women’s participation within the squads in Lerwick were removed.
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Afterwards there are lots of events which are private, ticketed parties and those attending must get an invite from one of the venue’s hosts who organise the after-party.
There’s traditionally lots of music, dancing and nowadays the occasional drink – despite the original festival being ‘dry’.
But don’t worry, if you’re a visitor, you can often pick up tickets for the later events from the Tourist Office.
The celebrations of Up Helly Aa in Lerwick start at 7.30pm, and last for 24 hours.
Up Helly Aa’s roots go back to the early 1800s when the festival was generally quite riotous – sometimes drunks would even fire their guns in the air.
They would also take part in dangerous tar barrel rolling – where young men would drag barrels of burning tar through town on sledges.
This practice was banned between 1874 and 1880 when torchlit processions started, which is what still takes place today – and the behaviour is much less rowdy.
If you miss the Lerwick festival then there are other chances to see it around Shetland, like in Sumburgh in the South Mainland to Norwick in Unst.
New farm-themed festival to launch in the UK and Jeremy Clarkson is headlining – with live music and tractor shows…
DID you think festivals were all music main stages? Well, you’d be wrong because a new one is launching in the UK next year – based on farming.
The event called The Great British Farm-Fest will arrive at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire for May 22-24, 2026.
It claims it will still maintain that festival vibe though with food trucks, activities, celebrity faces and you’ll probably still need your wellies.
It’s been described as combining the traditional attractions of a large country fair with the excitement and energy of a modern music festival.
While it does celebrate farmers, you don’t have to be one to go. I
Across three unforgettable days there will be live music, working displays, livestock, machinery and mouth-watering food.
As for those celebrity faces, headlining the weekend are the stars of Clarkson’s Farm – Jeremy Clarkson himself, Lisa Hogan, Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland.
Farmer Adam Henson and British chef Matt Tebbutt will also make an appearance along with dozens of other farmers, musicians, and chefs from across the UK.
During the day, visitors can explore activities across the 300-acre country park.
There will be eight show arenas with livestock competitions, traditional skills, working animals, field-to-fork experiences and even a full-scale British Food Festival.
One day admission tickets for adults aged 18+ start at £60, or £48 if you nab an early bird one.
For teens aged 13-17 it’s £30 (£24 early bird), children between 6-12 are £15 (£12 early bird). Children between 0-5 can enter for free.
Other tickets include the full three days without camping for £150 per adult (£120 early bird) and with camping tickets for adults are £200 (£160 early bird).
Plus, here’s another festival with hundreds of lights to launch next month in the UK and it’s free to visit.
And check out the best places in the Cotswolds once you’ve seen the Diddly Squat Farm Shop.
