Your Up Helly Aa questions answered

There are 11 Up Helly Aas in total across Shetland between January and March each year. The first is Scalloway Fire Festival which usually takes place the second week of January. The biggest and most well-known is Lerwick Up Helly Aa, which takes place on the last Tuesday in January. For a full overview of what happens at Lerwick Up Helly Aa and how you can get involved as a visitor, read this blog post.

Lerwick Up Helly Aa is held on the last Tuesday in January.

Light up is at 7.30pm local time, but we would recommend arriving a little before 7pm to get a good viewing spot.

The Up Helly Aa livestream will begin at 7pm on YouTube and 7.25pm on Facebook.

Yes, of course! Each year Shetland welcomes visitors from all over the world who want to witness the fiery spectacle that is Up Helly Aa.

Most visit for Lerwick Up Helly Aa, the biggest event held in the islands' capital, but accommodation books up fast so you have to plan well ahead. If you want a taster of what Up Helly Aa is like, but don't want to plan your whole trip around it, then coincide a winter holiday in Shetland with one of the rural fire festivals, such as Scalloway Fire Festival, South Mainland Up Helly Aa or Delting Up Helly Aa.

If you do want to visit for Lerwick Up Helly Aa then you'll get the chance to view the Jarl's Squad (Viking) parade through the town centre as well as the torch-lit festival and galley (longship) burning in the evening. Please note however that many of the halls after the burning are privately hosted events, so tickets to the general public are limited.

While Fire Festival Season is undoubtedly a highlight of the Shetland social calendar, each of the Up Helly Aas are privately-run community events, organised by volunteers.

While there is plenty of opportunity to witness the spectacle of Up Helly Aa by watching one of the torch-lit processions and galley burnings, there is limited opportunity for visitors to take part in the festivities themselves. The squads who participate in the parades and galley burning are planned months in advance and, for health and safety reasons, members of the public cannot get involved. Likewise, the hall events are privately organised dances and not ticketed to the general public.

Seeing an Up Helly Aa in Shetland is an event like no other, particularly one of the bigger processions like Lerwick or South Mainland Up Helly Aa, but if you are planning a visit to Shetland we recommend you make a holiday out of it and check out some of the other fantastic things to see and do here during the winter months.

To find a place to stay during your visit, see our accommodation page for a list of providers. Please note that accommodation in Lerwick books up months in advance for Lerwick Up Helly Aa, so book early to avoid disappointment.

Light up takes place on the Hillhead, just outside of the Town Hall and Lerwick Library. The procession then follows the same route every year, finishing at the burning site.

The Lerwick Up Helly Aa galley is burned in the King George V playground, across from the Lerwick Flower Park. The playground will be closed to the public.

Yes! The format of the day is pretty much the same year on year and you can view the day's itinerary on the official Up Helly Aa website. You can also find out more about Lerwick Up Helly Aa in this blog post.

Tickets for Lerwick Up Helly Aa halls are extremely limited but if you would like to join the late-night celebrations at Lerwick's Town Hall, keep a lookout on the official Up Helly Aa website towards the end of the year, as a limited number of tickets will be advertised.

To find out about attending the halls of any of the rural Up Helly Aa fire festivals, the best thing to do is go to the individual Facebook pages for each event and send a message to the page admin to see where tickets might be available.

Yes, if you are visiting Shetland for Lerwick Up Helly Aa, there are other events taking place that week to tie in with the festival.

In the days leading up to Up Helly Aa, Shetland Museum is hosting Origins of Up Helly Aa Tours, revealing the fascinating history behind the event (spoiler: it's not just about Vikings!). The museum is also hosting Peerie Vikings - a drop-in arts and crafts event for little ones on Monday 26 January.

Shetland Arts & Crafts is hosting an Up Helly Aa Craft Fair at Mareel on Sunday 25 and Monday 26 January, 11am-5pm. There will be over 30 stalls selling Shetland-made arts, crafts and textiles. Entry is free.

Taste of Shetland is hosting an Up Helly Aa Food Market at Shetland Museum on Sunday 25 January, 11am-5pm. Entry is free. Sample locally caught catch from the pop-up Seafood Shack, watch cooking demos using local produce and buy some delicious produce to take home.

To listen to traditional Shetland music, head to Mareel on Up Helly Aa day for The Fiery Sessions. There are two ticketed performances, at 11am and 1.30pm. Book tickets on the Shetland Arts website. For other live music events, see the listings on the Shetland Live Facebook page.

Old Scatness Broch and Iron Age Village in the South Mainland will open its doors on Wednesday 28 January, offering visitors a rare opportunity to explore the site during its off-season, as it typically remains closed during the winter months. The day will feature three guided tours led by archaeologists, delving into the myths and legends surrounding this fascinating heritage site. Book a tour online.

Sumburgh Head: Lighthouse, Visitor Centre and Nature Reserve will also be open during Up Helly Aa week. Visitors will be able to enjoy the dramatic winter seascapes from the lighthouse. Opening hours are from Sunday 25 January to Friday 30 January, 10am-4pm (closed on Monday and Tuesday).

Yes, you can. We have a dedicated Up Helly Aa streaming site where you can view all the action from the comfort of your own home and wherever you are in the world. This year's event takes place on Tuesday 27 January and you can tune in from 7pm to see the crowds gathering. The torch-lit procession begins at 7:30pm.

Yes, you should be able to. The best way to get a picture with a member of the Viking Jarl Squad at Lerwick Up Helly Aa is during the day when they gather in the town centre. They visit the Shetland Museum in the afternoon, and this would be a good time to grab a Viking for a quick pic. Entry is by ticket only, and they usually go quickly so you should look out for public announcements about this event.

For the safety of the public, the torch-lit evening processions are carefully managed and the streets are cordoned off to prevent people from getting injured by the burning flames. You won't be able to get close to any of the Vikings for a selfie but you'll have plenty of opportunity to take photos from your (safe) viewing point.

Lerwick Up Helly Aa is undoubtedly one of the most photographed events in Shetland's annual calendar. The media is welcome to photograph the day's public events and the torchlit evening procession. Guidance on the day's itinerary and the procession route willl be available on the official Up Helly Aa website.

As the festival itself is a private event, press passes to the halls are not generally available but you might be able to get a ticket to the Lerwick Town Hall (see the question above).

For media queries about Shetland's other fire festivals, your best route for information is to contact the individual Up Helly Aa committees via their social media pages. If there's anything else we can help you with, then please get in touch with us at info@shetland.org and we'll do our best to assist you.