Up Helly Aa Fire Festivals

Between January and March every year, communities across Shetland come together for a series of spectacular and unique fiery celebrations.

The Up Helly Aa fire festivals are amongst the biggest annual celebrations in Shetland. Inspired by Shetland’s Viking past, communities across the islands come together for a night of guizing (wearing disguises), carrying burning torches through the streets and dancing the night away to traditional Shetland music.

Eleven Up Helly Aas are held between January and March around the islands. While very much a series of community-led festivals, people travel from all over the world to witness the spectacle. The biggest fire festival is Lerwick Up Helly Aa, which takes place on the last Tuesday in January.

While torchlit parades and burning galleys are what most people associate with Up Helly Aa, there's much more than one night of fiery revelry. Each of the festivals takes months of planning and involves the whole community.

On fire festival days, the Viking Jarl's squads spend the daylight hours visiting care homes, supported living, and schools in their communities, ensuring all ages are involved in the celebrations.

At each Up Helly Aa, after the galley burning, community halls open their doors to welcome guests to be entertained by the various squads before a Shetland reel or two on the dancefloor.

You should also expect a spread of sweet and savoury treats to keep you fuelled through the night. The highlight for many is reestit mutton and tattie soup – a staple of the Shetland winter diet and an Up Helly Aa favourite.