These are not just some words, but also one of the main credos of the Vikings. Be brave at sea, and the shore will surrender to you. Overcome your fear and you will win the competition with yourself and your opponents. These principles are respected in modern society as well—this is the reason why Viking culture is celebrated to this day.
The Jorvik Viking Festival is the largest Viking festival in Europe. Around 40,000 people attend the festival annually to learn about the Vikings, take part in the Jorvik games, master-classes, competitions, and do many more things.
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Who are the Vikings? Some historical background
It is important to understand who Vikings were and what they were famous for. The Vikings were seafarers, living among the tribes with established laws and traditions. They existed from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries. Coming from Scandinavia, the Vikings later settled inDenmark, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland.
The Vikings were also travelers: they were going abroad to settle or trade their goods. Some tribes were occupying the other territories with the intention of invading them and forming their own cult. The Vikings were praying to their gods, writing down sagas about their religion and history, and spreading them inside the community. Their daily routine was training and preparing for future battles. They were excellent boat builders and sailors, who were spending the majority of their time at sea, on their way to hostile territories or uncharted lands. The rest of the tribe were staying at home and taking care of cattle, children, and other local businesses.
The Viking Age ended in 1066. It lasted for 273 years and left a trail in Scandinavian and world history. The theme of free men without land property, searching for a better life abroad, was common in many countries in the past. Most regions still have and share their own legends and history connected with the Vikings. Today, the United Kingdom is one of the countries that celebrates the Viking festival.
Jorvik Roots
The Jorvik Viking Festival has been held since 1978. It all started with the Coppergate dig, in which archaeologists dug for five years in the lands of York in search of viking remains and natural preservatives that could reveal more about their way of life. The center opened in 1984 and since then is hosting a series of exhibitions and events which allow visitors to plunge into Viking culture.
The program of the festival
The list of the events is already available on the event’s website. Out of all the activities, there are a few that you should not miss if you want to get the most out of your visit to Europe’s most viking event:
The Jorvik Games
Debuting this year, the Jorvik Games is a brand new competition where four teams should conquer different physical challenges. Local Olympic games will test the contestants’ strength, fortitude, and teamwork skills. The Jorvik Games are a fun spectacle and an unforgettable thing to do – both teams and their supporters will leave satisfied. The Jorvik Games is probably the main sports event of the festival.
The event will be held on May 28th, in the evening, at The Eye of York.
Workshops
Learn about decorative textile crafts and nalbinding, develop your skills in trichinopoly or tablet weaving – you’ll definitely find your piece of cake.
Workshops will be available for those interested in visiting on every day of the festival, in a variety of locations.
Recreated battles of Viking warriors
Get a full immersion into the staged recreation of Viking battles. Listen to the legends and try your best in the sword fighting lessons to feel like a viking! On May 28th, from early morning to late evening, you can also watch the Strongest Viking Competition: contestants will conquer in arm-wrestling, hand-to-hand combat, and et cetera.
Battles will be open from the beginning to the end of the festival on Parliament Street in York.
Activities for children
The Jorvik Viking Festival is a family holiday, and the little guests are not to be left bored: there is a special program prepared for children. An analogue of the Jorvik games, where even toddlers under 3 years can participate, accompanied by their parents, will definitely be a lot of fun. Little ones can also try out as diggers and do such crafts as beard making and wool-braiding!
To get to the selected class on time, please specify the additional information about time and place in advance.
Getting to Jorvik Viking Festival
If you are interested in attending the event, don’t plan to do anything else from May 28th through June 1st this year: these are the dates on which the Jorvik Viking Festival will be held in York, the United Kingdom. Make sure you don’t miss the world-famous Viking festival. As according to one famous Viking saying,
Many are wiser after the event.
