York: JORVIK Viking festival returns this weekend

This year's JORVIK Viking Festival, which welcomes over 40,000 visitors a year, will see the city centre celebrate the Viking people who arrived in 866AD and settled in York for 200 years.

Viking procession in Coppergate at Jorvik festival 2018 (Image: Charlotte Graham)

The festival runs from Saturday, February 11, to Sunday February 19.

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Gareth Henry, the festival manager said: "This year, we’re taking a look at how the Vikings were perceived by others in our Battle Spectacular on Saturday February 18, with a story inspired by the Arab writer Ibn Fadlan – whose accounts of the encounter are one of the few contemporary accounts of Viking traders in the 10th century.

"Performed with the backdrop of Clifford’s Tower, we can’t wait to share this story with all the Viking enthusiasts who will be joining us for the Festival."

The festival includes the Best Beard Competition, in St Helen's Square on Saturday, February 11, at 11am, for both homemade beards and real beards alike, and the Strongest Viking Competition, by Clifford's Tower, on Saturday, February 18 at 11.15am

A Viking army will march from Dean’s Park at 1.30pm to Coppergate on Saturday, February 18, with the Piazza outside York Minster’s South Door, St Helen’s Square and Parliament Street noted as recommended viewing spots.

Viking procession in 2018 (Image: Charlotte Graham)

Other Viking themed events taking place across the week include a retelling of the apocalypse told through wrestling, a mythological performance, known as Ragnarok, at York Barbican on Friday, February 17, and an augmented reality story combining fact and fantasy, which is available to download for free from iStore or Google Play.

The festival also includes talks and lectures, crafting workshops, an encampment, traders’ market and more. 

For details, please visit jorvikvikingfestival.co.uk