This week in Viking festivals

[underpants]

The Guizer Jarl is silhouetted as members of his Viking Squad walk around a long boat with burning torches during the annual Up Helly Aa Festival, Lerwick, Shetland Islands. One of Britain's most remote communities came together Tuesday to celebrate its Viking heritage with a spectacular festival of fire and fancy dress.
(AFP/Carl de Souza)

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Scottish islanders gather for Viking fire festival

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5ivDrL3SZA7AirJcAPe8UijuT-z8A

LERWICK, Scotland (AFP) — One of Britain's most remote communities came together Tuesday to celebrate its Viking heritage with a spectacular festival of fire and fancy dress.

During Up-Helly-Aa, hundreds of residents of the Shetland Islands off northern Scotland dressed up as Norsemen -- complete with helmets, chain mail and axes -- or in other fancy dress for a day and night of raucous partying.

The high point of the festivities was an evening parade through Lerwick featuring 900 people brandishing fiery torches which sent a blanket of smoke and sparks over the port town, Shetland's biggest.

At the centre of the procession was a specially crafted Viking longship, which was set on fire at the end of the procession when all the marchers threw their torches into it, creating a giant, intense pyre.

Celebrations were continuing through the night as teams of "guizers" -- the roughly 1,000 locals taking part in the procession -- toured parties performing songs and sketches.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

1. Will the Vikings sing the "Spam" song ...

'Cause if so, I'm there!!!

:party: