Shetland's spectacular annual Up Helly Aa festival has come to a fiery conclusion in Lerwick. The event celebrates the Shetland Islands' Viking heritage, and is traditionally held on the last Tuesday of January. Up Helly Aa concludes with the burning of a replica Viking longboat. During the day, a band of latter-day Viking warriors known as the Jarl Squad attend a series of marches and public appearances to teach locals about their Viking ancestors. The event attracts visitors from across the world and is seen as a tourism boost to the Shetland Islands.
IBTimes UK presents Andy Buchanan's photos of this year's Up Helly Aa Viking Festival in Lerwick, the Shetland Isles.
Police officers joke with a Viking as they get breakfast in a cafe before the annual Up Helly Aa festival in LerwickAndy Buchanan/AFPParticipants dressed as Vikings eat breakfast as they prepare to participate in the annual Up Helly Aa festival in LerwickAndy Buchanan/AFPPeople dressed in Viking costumes order their breakfastAndy Buchanan/AFPThe Jarl Squad line up in front of their Viking longboatAndy Buchanan/AFPA Viking chats to a man in a pub before the start of the festivalAndy Buchanan/AFPThe Jarl Squad march through the streets of LerwickAndy Buchanan/AFPA man dressed as a Viking has a beer during the parade through LerwickAndy Buchanan/AFPVikings process along a street as they prepare to participate in the annual Up Helly Aa festival in LerwickAndy Buchanan/AFPMen dressed as Vikings parade through LerwickAndy Buchanan/AFPA Viking stands on the prow of his longboatAndy Buchanan/AFPA close-up of the links on the armour of a participant dressed as a VikingAndy Buchanan/AFPA wax seal shows the symbol of the guizer jarl – the group dressed as Vikings who participate in the annual Up Helly Aa festival in LerwickAndy Buchanan/AFPTorches are lit by participants dressed as Vikings during the annual Up Helly Aa festival in LerwickAndy Buchanan/AFPA man dressed as a Viking is illuminated by the burning longboatAndy Buchanan/AFPVikings carrying flaming torches walk around their longboatAndy Buchanan/AFPGuizers process around their Viking longboatAndy Buchanan/AFPThe Jarl Squad prepare to set fire to their Viking longboatAndy Buchanan/AFPThe flaming torches of participants dressed as Vikings are seen as they process around their longboatAndy Buchanan/AFPThe Vikings set their longboat alightAndy Buchanan/AFPParticipants dressed as Vikings process around the burning longboat during the annual Up Helly Aa festival in LerwickAndy Buchanan/AFPThe Viking longboat burns during the annual Up Helly Aa festival in LerwickAndy Buchanan/AFPVikings are silhouetted against their burning longboatAndy Buchanan/AFP
