Sheringham Viking Festival and Parade 2025

Vikings once struck terror into the hearts of the inhabitants of our shores, but their return to north Norfolk will be very much welcomed. Plans have been drawn up to stage Sheringham’s Scira Viking Festival – which culminates in the burning of a model long ship. Provisional dates will see this event return on Saturday 26th April  2025.

In 2023 thousands of locals and visitors lined the promenade and clifftops to watch, as a flame torch-carrying Viking honour guard hailed the arrival of the wooden boat, which, after being carried across the shingle, was set alight on the sand in a spectacular finale. More than a hundred re-enactors from four Norfolk groups made their way to the seafront, where waiting crowds were entertained by a fire-breathers from Norwich-based troupe Unhinged Circus and music specially arranged for the event by festival organiser, former TV and film set designer Chris Neville.

Spectators came from as far afield as Durham and Reading for the main festival day, which included battles on the beach and a living history village set up by Wuffa Saxon and Viking Re-enactment Society and featuring Viking cooking, crafts and weaponry, as well as have-a-go axe-throwing demonstrations and a working iron forge.

The fun starts on Beeston Common with the Viking Village as the base for creative and educational activities as well as battle reenactments; these will finish late afternoon around 5 pm, to allow time for people to prepare for the evening activities, which starts at 7 pm with the Viking Parade from the top car park in Sheringham.

This lively parade will proceed through Sheringham towards the sea for the finale of the boats burning beginning at 7:15 pm on the seafront below Leas (on the seafront near the building that was the Burlington Hotel).

There will be plenty of activities for people of all ages, from live demonstrations of Viking battles during the day to the finale of the evening boat-burning ceremony on Sheringham seafront at 7:15 pm.

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