A whole new game: JORVIK Viking Festival returns to York!

 

The tents for an encampment are being set up in Parliament Street, screens installed at the Eye of York, traders transporting their wares to the Guildhall and St Sampson’s Square, and a faint smell of mead wafting through the air, which can mean only one thing: JORVIK Viking Festival is back in York!

Nearly two and a half years after hordes of Viking warriors and settlers last descended on the city, York is preparing for five days of Norse-themed fun and entertainment, starting on Saturday 28 May.  Postponed from its originally planned dates in February, and neatly fitting into the half term holiday before the Jubilee bank holiday, this JORVIK Viking Festival will see the return of a host of favourite events – including a living history encampment, March to Coppergate, Strongest Viking competition and Best Beard contest – as well as a brand new arena event on Saturday evening, The JORVIK Games.

“In February, our evening spectacular is usually a dramatic presentation of a Viking story, but with the evenings being so much lighter in May, our event will also be a little more fun.  The Viking Games will pit the finest warriors from four teams against each other, with spectators invited to pick their champion and cheer them on to victory,” explains event manager, Gareth Henry.  “Of course, being Vikings, they might not always play by the rules – and with their own horde of supporters behind them on the arena field, sparks will fly with skirmishes inevitable!”

Tickets for The JORVIK Games, which begins at 6.45pm on Saturday, are still available, priced £15 for adults and £11 for concessions, with family tickets also available from jorvikvikingfestival.co.uk

Whilst Saturday will be the busiest day for the Festival, visitors from Sunday to Wednesday will enjoy a host of events and activities.  On Sunday, at 29/31 Coney Street, visitors can meet Vikings from all over Europe brought together under the ERASMUS scheme, including fun crafting activities.  Young warriors can hone their skills in Have-A-Go Sword sessions on the Parliament Street stage, and the fantastic Ting Tang re-enactors will bring theatre to the stage every day, too.

The last few places remain on crafting workshops taking place Monday to Wednesday at York Medical Society on Stonegate, including Nalebinding (Viking knitting), Trichinopoly (wire weaving) and tablet weaving.

Wednesday 1 June sees JORVIK’s sister attraction, DIG in St Saviourgate, hosting the ever-popular Poo Day, a chance for children (and adults!) to try their hand at making a replica Viking poo, based on the world-famous Lloyds Bank Coprolite (fossilised poo).  

JORVIK Viking Centre’s stunning exhibition of items from the Silverdale Hoard, on loan from Lancashire County Museums, is also expected to be hugely popular, with tickets for the attraction selling out for many time slots throughout the half term break.  “With good weather forecast for the weekend, we are expecting York to be particularly busy, so would urge visitors to prebook their tickets wherever possible to avoid disappointment,” adds Gareth.

Full details of all the events taking place at JORVIK Viking Festival are available at jorvikvikingfestival.co.uk

ENDS

For further media information or photographs, please contact:

Jay Commins

Pyper York Limited

Tel: 01904 500698

Email: [email protected]