Up Helly Aa: Women to be welcomed into squads for first time when event returns in 2023

By Ellie Milne

June 22 2022, 12:00 pm

The junior galley burns after the junior Up Helly Aa parade, during the Up Helly Aa Viking festival.

Organisers of Lerwick’s famous Viking fire festival have relaxed gender restrictions for the first time in the event’s history.

Women will now be able to join Up Helly Aa squads when the event returns to Shetland’s capital on January 31, 2023.

The decision was made by the committee in an effort to take the 24-hour event forward following a two-year break during the pandemic.

Committee Secretary Robert Geddes has said the change will be “evolutionary” for the Up Helly Aa festival, which marks Shetland’s Viking heritage.

The evening procession of Up Helly through Lerwick, Shetland in 2019. Pictures by Jason Hedges/DCT Media.

“We felt that it was time to give squads a choice over their guizers, including allowing female participation,” he said.

“Everybody is looking forward to the return of Up Helly Aa after an unprecedented two-year break because of Covid.

“The decision means the festival in Lerwick on Tuesday, January 31 2023 will have a different dimension to it, but we have no doubt that its essence and spirit will remain the same.”

The other criteria for participating guizers will remain the same – everyone must be aged 16 or older and have resided in Shetland continuously for five years.

‘Actively allowing change’

The 24-hour event will return on January 31, 2023. Picture by Jason Hedges/DCT Media.

Up Helly Aa takes place on the last Tuesday of January each year to mark the end of the Yule season, and is popular with both locals and tourists.

More than 900 guizers come together for an impressive torch-lit procession and the burning of a galley, before an all-night long series of performances by squads which rotate around the town’s halls.

Each squad will perform its “act”, which could be a skit on local events, a dance and music display, or even an impersonation.

The 2023 festival is already at full capacity with a total of 47 squads.

Up Helly Aa is returning to Lerwick for the first time in two-years. Picture by Jason Hedges/DCT Media.

Mr Geddes added: “We run a large and popular fire festival and have unfortunately had to turn down applications from folk wanting to start new squads, or looking to increase maximum numbers within squads, over the past few years.

“That said, there is always a turnover of guizers within squads from year to year, and by giving squads the freedom to choose we are actively allowing change to happen.”