The Jorvik Viking festival has taken over York again this February.
The annual event will take place from Monday the 16th of February until Sunday the 22nd of February.
It has already started to draw in visitors across the UK who have brought their families during the half-term break.
Lots of activities are available for them to participate in, such as the famous Viking march ending at Coppergate.
Leo Berry, who works at the festival, says it’s “unmissable.” “We get people from all over the world coming here, it’s really nice to see a mix that are really interested in Viking culture.”
“I always recommend the encampment just along up here, because its really interesting seeing all the craftspeople working away. We’ve got blacksmithing this year, which is really nice.”
The festival, which was first established in York in 1985, provides new experiences such as coin making and blacksmithing, perfect for entertaining younger children.
Whilst the festival only started on Monday, visitors flock to the City Centre to enjoy the activities at the Encampment conquering Parliament Street.
Visitors and residents are looking to embrace the Viking culture important to York history.
The Vikings invaded York in 866 AD, and changed the previous Anglo-Saxon city into Jorvik, where large trade networking occurred.
This shaped trade and manufacturing for the City, impacting how we work up to this day.
This is why we celebrate Jorvik Viking festival yearly due to its mass impact on the way we live.
Another festival worker Charlotte Scott, describes this important event in three words : “fun, impressive and interactive.”
“I like seeing the kind of reenactments of how the Vikings would have lived, like all of the workshops, showing their way of life.”
The week provides plenty of enjoyable experiences, inclusive for both children and adults interested in immersing themselves in Viking life.
Events such as a Kids Barbaric Battle, Mead testing, Jorvik Viking festival feast are all available to take part in, to embrace the historical culture in York.
If you miss the festival this year, don’t worry, it will return in February 2027 with the dates to be confirmed.
