York’s celebration of all things Norse returns in February 2024 & the full programme is on sale from 1st November! See hundreds of Vikings march through the city, sample mead cocktails, try your hand at Viking crafting or even bring the kids along to make their very own Viking poo! There’s something for the whole family at JORVIK Viking Festival.
Read on some highlights of the 2025 JORVIK Viking Festival for families – from ticketed events you need to pre-book to plenty of free events and sights!
Family Crafting
Viking crafting for the whole family! With pottery, wool-braiding, buzz bone making and beard making all on offer, there’s plenty to choose from and get creative.
Pssst! Why not make a beard and put your whiskers to the test in our Best Beard Competition?!
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📍Guildhall
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Berserker Boot Camp
Young Vikings can prepare for battle with our fun Berserker Boot Camp workshops, led by JORVIK’s expert instructors. Suitable for ages 5-12 only, pre-booking is advised.
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📍Guildhall
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Poo Day
It’s smelly, it’s squelchy – but it tells us lots about the past! Bring the kids to DIG to find out why archaeologists love poo, and get hands-on making your own replica poo fossil. Don’t forget to go and see the famous Lloyds Bank Turd at JORVIK Viking Centre afterwards!
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📍DIG: An Archaeological Adventure
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The Viking Games
Who has what it takes to be crowned champion in the Viking Games? The stakes are high in this new family-friendly event for 2024! Witness our Viking contestants battle it out in a test of strength, skill, cunning and wisdom. Expect combat, impressive feats of endurance and plenty of laughs as you cheer on your favourite Viking champion. Hopefully, it won’t all end in a skirmish…
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📍Eye of York
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Festival Finale: The Realms of Yggdrasil
The world tree is a giant ash supporting the universe in Norse mythology. It connects the nine worlds, including Valhalla (home to Odin and heroes of the battlefield), Niflheim (the cold and dark land of the dead, ruled by the goddess Hel), Asgard (the realm of the gods) and even Jötunheimr (the mountainous frozen land of ice giants). In this story-telling spectacular, listen to familiar tales of these Viking realms connected by Yggdrasil – a great end to your Norse-filled week at JORVIK Viking Festival.
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📍Eye of York
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March to Coppergate
They’ve come from near and far to muster in their fearsome armies – now it’s your chance to see hundreds of Viking warriors march through the city. With their war cries echoing around the streets, the March to Coppergate is a mighty sight to behold.
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📍Recommended viewing areas are: St Helen’s Square, Parliament Street, Coppergate
💷 Free
Viking Encampment
Meet Vikings camped out in York city centre! See their crafts in action (from woodworking to jewellery making), discover Viking game demonstrations and even get your face painted. Make sure you get a selfie or two with the Vikings of Jorvik!
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📍Parliament Street & St Sampson’s Square
💷 Event is free
Arena
Come along to Parliament Street for saga-themed storytelling sessions, exciting combat displays and live music performances throughout the day!
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📍St Sampsons Square
💷 Event is free
Best Dressed (featuring the Best Beard competition!)
A new event for 2024 – take part in our Best Dressed competition! We’ll be celebrating the Vikings in all of their forms, from myth and legend to pop culture! Channel your inner Ragnar Lothbrok from Vikings or even Marvel’s Thor, Loki or Hela in our new Cosplay category. Showcase your pooch’s inner ‘Best Beast’ or put your whiskers to the test at our annual Best Beard competition! Men, women and children welcome – we’re looking for the most glorious beard in York, whether it’s natural or homemade.
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📍Parliament Street
💷 Event is free
Stagecoach Presents…
Join this group of young local actors for a short Viking-themed performance.
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📍St Sampson’s Square
💷 Event is free
You can see the full programme of events here.
This is a sponsored post by JORVIK Viking Festival
