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Shetland has a few Up Helly Aa’s, but the one in Lerwick is the biggest of them all. Lots of the isles have their own celebrations: Unst has 2, Yell has 1 as have Brae, Nesting & Northmavine. Scalloway has its own fire festival as well. For those of you reading this who don’t know what I’m on about I’ll try and explain.

Up Helly Aa’ is supposed to be derived from the funeral rites of the Vikings. Each Jarl, when they died, would be placed in their galley with all their armour and most important possessions to journey to Valhalla. The galley was then set on fire at sea, taking the Jarl on his last journey. In Lerwick the galley is set on fire in the park, whilst tradition varies around the isles. In Unst the galleys are burnt on the beach for instance.

Each year a Guizer Jarl is appointed from the committee and he becomes the leader (or Jarl) of all the festivities. The Jarl usually knows many years in advance when it is their turn and spends at least a full year preparing their costumes, choosing their squad and building the galley. This year’s Jarl was Roy Leask.

Each year’s squad has a different costume from previously. Only the Jarl’s shield remains the same each year.

All the guizers and the Jarl Squad mass on the Hillhead on the last Tuesday of January after 7pm, before processing with their torches to the burning site. Only the Jarl Squad are dressed as Vikings with helmets, swords, shields and axes. All the other squads are dressed in costumes appropriate for their act. That’s why you often see people dressed as Egyptians, chickens, cowboys, builders and monks. There are also beautifully made up women or old Shetland wives who look a bit masculine. This is because, unlike the isles events, the squads in Lerwick are a male only zone.

After the burning of the galley, the action moves to the halls in the toon, where the squads come round and do their acts or sketches. These can be topical, related to the Jarl, a dance routine or something completely different. This year there was over 40 squads and the festivities continued until the next morning.

Your intrepid North Isles reporter went to bed at 4am, whilst things were still going on. But I did see the next morning, which is probably than most folk did. The day after Up Helly Aa’ is a public holiday in the town for a reason.

Hope that is a bit clearer.