Event Details
Up Helly Aa 2027 – Europe's Greatest Viking Fire Festival
On Tuesday, 26 January 2027, the Scottish island town of Lerwick on Shetland becomes a blazing Viking spectacle. Up Helly Aa is the largest fire festival in the northern hemisphere, drawing thousands of visitors from around the world. More than 1,000 costumed guizers march through the darkened streets carrying flaming torches before hurling them into a full-size replica Viking longship and setting it ablaze. The torchlit procession starts at 19:30, with hall celebrations continuing until the early morning hours of 27 January.
What is Up Helly Aa?
Up Helly Aa is not a tourist performance but an authentic community festival rooted in Shetland identity, celebrated every year on the last Tuesday of January since the 1880s. It honours the Norse Viking heritage of the Shetland Islands, which remained under Nordic rule until 1468. Preparations begin as early as February of the previous year; the Galley (Viking longship) is painstakingly built by volunteers over several months, only to be ceremonially burned on festival day.
Since 2023, the festival has welcomed women and girls as full participants in the procession and squads for the first time in its history, marking a significant milestone in a tradition spanning more than 140 years.
Programme on 26 January 2027
The festival fills the entire day. The Guizer Jarl (the Viking chief in full armour) and his Jarl Squad begin their morning march through Lerwick at 08:20, making stops at the British Legion (~09:15), the Market Cross and the Bressay Ferry Terminal, where the Galley is displayed for the public. At 15:00, the Jarl Squad visits the Shetland Museum, offering visitors a rare chance to meet the Vikings up close.
The centrepiece arrives at exactly 19:30 when a signal rocket bursts over Lerwick Town Hall. All street lights are switched off. More than 900 torches are lit simultaneously and the procession winds through the town for around half an hour, led by the Galley with the Guizer Jarl at the helm. At the King George V Playing Field, the torchbearers circle the longship, sing "The Norseman's Home" and, on a second rocket signal, hurl their torches into the Galley, which burns to the ground. Afterwards, up to twelve halls open for private celebrations featuring traditional Shetland music, dancing and reestit mutton soup, continuing until 08:00 the following morning.
Highlights
- Morning march of the Guizer Jarl and Viking squad from 08:20
- Public Galley viewing at the Esplanade and Bressay Ferry Terminal
- Shetland Museum visit at 15:00 (free ticketed event)
- Torchlit procession with 900+ participants from 19:30 through darkened streets
- Ceremonial burning of the hand-built Viking longship
- All-night hall celebrations with Shetland music, dancing and traditional mutton soup
- Livestream on Promote Shetland YouTube and Facebook from approximately 19:00
Tickets & Costs
The morning march, torchlit procession and galley burning are entirely free to watch from the streets with no ticket required. For the hall celebrations, only a very limited number of public tickets exist: a small allocation for Lerwick Town Hall is released via an online ballot on uphellyaa.org towards the end of the year, typically priced at £40 to £60. The vast majority of hall parties are private and reserved for residents. The Shetland Museum offers special "Origins of Up Helly Aa" tours for approximately £8 per person.
Getting There & Accommodation
Reaching Shetland is the single biggest logistical challenge. Two options exist: the NorthLink overnight ferry from Aberdeen (approximately 12 hours, weather-dependent in winter) or a flight to Sumburgh Airport. Both are subject to disruption by January storms, so building in buffer days either side of the festival is strongly advised. Accommodation in Lerwick routinely books out a year in advance; early booking is essential. Those unable to find rooms in Lerwick should consider accommodation elsewhere on the islands.
Visitor Tips
- Book travel and accommodation as early as possible, ideally a year in advance.
- Pack waterproof, windproof and very warm clothing; Shetland in January is genuinely cold.
- Secure a good spot along the procession route or at the playing field perimeter early and hold it.
- Choose between watching the procession or the burning; doing both in full is difficult.
- Clothes will smell of smoke after the burning; bring a change of outfit for any hall visits.
- Extend the trip to several days to explore the wild winter landscapes of Shetland.
- Monitor uphellyaa.org from autumn 2026 for any public release of hall tickets.
