Copyright © 2009 - 2026 Up Helly Aa Committee
The Committee
The Up Helly Aa Committee consists of 17 volunteers who have been elected by the Guizers who participate in the festival. Annually, at a ‘mass meeting’, candidates present a case for their election and what they can do for the festival. There then follows a ballot of the guizers to determine who they wish to represent them on the Committee. The Committee consists of the Marshall, Guizer Jarl and 15 other serving members.
The Committee is responsible for organising the festival from year to year. This involves liaising with the emergency services, hosts and hostesses of the halls, the Shetland Islands Council and many other organisations to ensure all arrangements are covered.
The current Committee:
| Lynden Nicolson | Marshal, Guizer Jarl 2026 |
| Ryan Leith | Guizer Jarl 2027 |
| Brydon Wright | 2028 |
| Graeme Garrick | 2029 |
| Robert Geddes | 2030 |
| Neil Fraser | 2031 |
| Brydon Gray | Joint Honorary Secretary, 2032 |
| Gary Smith | 2033 |
| James Leask | Treasurer, 2034 |
| Jon Pulley | 2035 |
| Jordan Hunter | 2036 |
| Shane Jamieson | Joint Honorary Secretary, 2037 |
| Scott Goudie | 2038 |
| John Gair | 2039 |
| Stuart Nicolson | 2040 |
| Liam Evans | 2041 |
Marshal
The Marshal is in charge of Up Helly Aa on the last Tuesday in January. It is their responsibility to ensure the festival runs smoothly for the Guizer Jarl. After serving as Marshal they then steps down in October to provide a vacancy for the new Committee member.