Up Helly Aa

While visitors are welcome as on-lookers to view the spectacular festival of Up-Helly-Aa, it is very
much a local event and participants must have been a resident in Shetland for five years before
they can take part in a squad and the procession. Visitors are warmly welcome in one of the halls
open for festivities after the procession – providing they can get their hands on much sought-after
invites.

Lerwick Up Helly Aa is always held on the last Tuesday in January with the following day being
a Public Holiday throughout Shetland for many.

The organisation of Up-Helly-Aa is on a voluntary basis and is run by a committee of 17 members
elected by the guizers, with a new member being elected every year. To become Guizer Jarl – Chief
Guizer, a member must serve 16 years on the committee. In the lead up to the festival during
the final weeks the organizing committee are very busy making arrangements for all parts of
the festival, including the Guizer Jarl. For this reason the committee members cannot take on
any additional requests.

The building of the galley and making of the 1000+ torches are again all done by volunteers. Work
commences at the end of October, on at least four nights a week to ensure that everything is ready
for the big day.

The reveal of the galley and the Jarl Squad is kept a secret until the big day when they step out
into public for the first time from 8.15am for the start of the morning parades.

Up-Helly-Aa is a non-profit association and is funded by the generous donations from local
businesses and the guizers. These donations are much appreciated and indeed the festival could
not survive in its present state without these donations.

A junior festival is organised by the Junior Up-Helly-Aa Committee. A Junior Jarl is elected by
secondary one and two pupils who attend school in Lerwick. The elected Jarl then selects their
squad of fifteen from secondary two pupils to make up the Junior Jarl Squad who lead a procession
of guizers from the age of primary seven to secondary two pupils.

The Junior Jarl Squad will be at various locations throughout the Tuesday including the Fiery
Session’s concerts. The junior torchlight procession takes place prior to the senior festival,
lighting up at 5.30pm on the Lower Hillhead.