Up Helly Aa is the legendary fire festival in Scotland that visitors are looking forward to witnessing once in their lifetime.

Up Helly Aa fire festival of ‘Viking soldiers’ many people want to know once

This traditional event is held on the island of Shetland with a series of monumental activities such as parades, singing, dancing, torch relay and parties. The festival commemorates and celebrates the Viking culture that has existed for a long time and left a great influence in the Nordic region.

The characters playing the role of Viking soldiers split into several teams known collectively as the Jarl Squad. Each team is led by a leader called Guizer Jarl.

Guizer Jarl must have participated in Up Helly Aa for at least 15 years or more, and meet all the conditions to meet the criteria to be elected as the leader.

Jarl Squad teams spend the day marching around Lerwick, the capital of the province of Shetland. Finally, they headed for the riverbank and set fire to a warship with about 1,000 torches. When the train burned down, they returned to the downtown area and drank beer until the next morning.

Up Helly Aa was held for the first time in 1881. From 1956, young volunteers were also allowed to participate in the festival, called Viking-kids.