Up Helly Aa

The purpose of this web site is to provide information on the festival and an overview of what takes place. The brief excerpt below provides a quick overview of the festival and its timeline, more details and information on each aspect can be found throughout this website.

The Guizer Jarl and his squad begin their preparations in February. Each year they design and manufacture their suit, many long hours hard work goes into the production of these fabulous outfits.

The Up Helly Aa Committee begin their year preparing the Up Helly Aa Exhibition that runs from May until September in the Galley Shed. This boasts a full size Galley, Jarl Squad suits, other Squads memorabilia and an extensive collection of photographs recording the suits worn and the guizers involved.

In early September the Guizers of the remaining 45 squads begin their squad meetings and preparations. This involves determining the character(s) that they wish to portray with their suits, making the suits while also creating and practising their act to perform in the halls they visit through out the evening.

At the end of September the Galley shed is transformed back into to a working shed where the Galley and the torches are constructed during the winter. During this same period the Committee progress preparations including the Collecting Sheet and Bill.

Up Helly Aa day is always the last Tuesday in January every year. The day involves a series of marches and visitations, culminating in torch lit procession and Galley burning. There then follows hours of performing acts and dancing in halls throughout the evening and early morning.

Up Helly Aa is a community event that requires many hours of organising and planning. Up Helly Aa day itself is a celebration following all the winter preparations. There is a large party atmosphere to the whole event. The following Wednesday is a public holiday in Lerwick to allow for recovery.

We hope you enjoy the site and the information it provides.

Up Helly Aa Committee