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Please note that media information relating to the 2017 JORVIK Viking Festival can be found on the main JORVIK Group press room at:http://news.cision.com/the-jorvik-group-of-attractions

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Plans for JORVIK's relaunch with Campaign Canute

£2 Million target to reimagine Viking-age YorkOn the eve of the 32ndJORVIK Viking Festival, the owners of JORVIK Viking Centre, York Archaeological Trust, have launched a large-scale  fundraising campaign to re-imagine the world famous attraction, and announced three major exhibitions for the city to celebrate its Norse heritage whilst the attraction is being rebuilt. York Archaeological Trust is looking to raise £2 million to recreate the Viking city for the next generation of visitors, building on its unprecedented success from the last 32 years. This new visualisation is part of the

Ticket sales 'stronger than 2015' for JORVIK Viking Festival

Increased ticket sales could indicate the start of a recovery for York’s tourism sector, according to the organisers of the annual JORVIK Viking Festival, which has revealed a 10% increase in ticket sales for this year’s events compared with the weeks leading up to the 2015 Festival. Many of the key events in this year’s programme, including the Viking banquet, Brawl at the Guildhall and the Helen Thirza Addyman Lecture, have already sold out, with ticket sales for the Festival’s grand finale on Saturday 20 February also higher than at a comparable point in 2015 – with visitors urged to

Free fun for all at JORVIK Viking Festival

15-21 February 2016, YorkVikings may have needed coins and precious metals to trade when they arrived in England 1150 years ago, but visitors to this year’s JORVIK Viking Festival can enjoy a host of Norse-themed events without having to dip into their purses! “Part of our mission is to share our knowledge about the Vikings and the history of our ancestors here in York, so this year, we’ve got a host of events and activities for the whole family which are completely free of charge,” comments Festival director, Danielle Daglan. “From our steading, where children can meet some of the

Vikings in your vocabulary

16 February 2016, JORVIK Viking FestivalThe Norse origins of some of the most common words in the English language will be explored at a lecture taking place as part of this year’s JORVIK Viking Festival – revealing some surprising words that have their origins in the language of the Vikings, from ‘them’ and ‘their’ to ‘egg’ and ‘window’! In the ‘Vikings In Your Vocabulary’ lecture taking place on Tuesday 16 February at York Council Chambers, language experts Richard Dance and Sarah Pons-Sanz will explore the Viking words that invaded the English language when the Norse settlers arrived

Canute issues rallying cry for York businesses!

#VisitJorvik appeal to bring visitors back to the cityKing Canute – the Viking who took the English throne in 1016 – has made an appeal for York businesses to throw their support behind the JORVIK Viking Festival, taking place over half term (15-21 February) to remind the world that York is well and truly open for business. “The JORVIK Viking Festival regularly attracts national and international media interest – we’ve had enquiries from film crews and journalists as far away as Chile, Israel and Singapore, so it is a fantastic opportunity for York’s business community to demonstrate

"Like Canute, we can't control water, but JORVIK Viking Festival plans going ahead full speed!"

15 – 21 February 2016Whether they were fighting Anglo Saxons or the turbulent waters of the North Sea, there was little that would stop the Vikings from achieving their goals, and this Norse spirit is set to be carried on in York for this year’s JORVIK Viking Festival, which will take place from 15 – 21 February 2016 despite the flooding that has closed the world-famous JORVIK Viking Centre. “When we decided to focus the theme for the 2016 on the 1000thanniversary of Canute taking the throne of England, little did we realise that we’d have our own moment of standing with water lapping at

The JORVIK Viking Festival - ten reasons to visit York in February

With winter coming to an end, York’s 10thcentury Vikings would have celebrated surviving the harshest season with an annual celebration called Jolablot.  Today, that tradition is continued by the JORVIK Viking Centre, which takes over the city for a week-long festival of all things Norse, the JORVIK Viking Festival, drawing visitors from all over the world to make it the largest Viking festival in Europe! “The JORVIK Viking Festival was launched back in 1984, and has gone from strength to strength each year – children who attended our early festivals are now bringing their children back

Restoring a king and rewriting history - JORVIK Viking Festival 2016

York, UK 15 – 21 February 2016The largest Viking Festival in Europe, the JORVIK Viking Festival, is set to make the boldest move in over 30 years, when Norse experts are hoping not only to bring history to life, but also to rewrite the history books and restore Canute back to the podium as the greatest English king! 2016 marks 1000 years since the Viking Canute, also known as Cnut, took the English throne, uniting the nation in a way that had never been experienced before, and was barely repeated for the next 450 years of the medieval period. He is also responsible for creating a North

Viking wedding becomes engagement party for York couple

The Viking Wedding Feast at the JORVIK Viking Festival was a happy occasion for not one but two couples this evening, when a York man took advantage of the Valentine's Day celebration to propose. Having won a Viking trial of strength, Jonathan Alderson dropped down on one knee and produced a ring to propose to girlfriend, Samantha Simpson, to rapturous cheers from their fellow wedding guests. "Weddings are always emotional occasions, but Jonathan had tipped us off about his intentions, so we were able to weave him into the evening's entertainment so that the proposal remained a

Digital Vikings inspire a Brave New World for Mental Health

14 - 22 February 2015In a UK first, ancient Vikings, modern technology and music are being brought together to help people who use mental health services. Over 50 people, from a range of backgrounds and with a variety of mental health issues, have been working together to create a unique digital soundscape, The Vikings’ Brave New World. The soundscape can be experienced for the first time at this year’s JORVIK Viking Festival in York, which launches on Saturday 14 February, 2015. The soundscape was inspired by the idea of Viking journeys – voyages made without a compass. “It emerged that

Setting ice on fire, as York prepares for 'Fire & Ice'-themed JORVIK Viking Festival

14 - 22 February 2015The finale of this year’s JORVIK Viking Festival at the Eye of York will see an epic ‘reboot’ of Norse mythology, with a cast of warriors, giants and gods bringing the Norse legends to life,  exploring the creation of the Viking world, the rise of the Gods and the epic First Battle “We knew that staging the Viking apocalypse in 2014 would give us a tough act to follow this year – particularly as very little in Norse mythology explores what happens when the world is reborn, so we are following Hollywood’s lead and rebooting the legends, exploring the earliest origins

Cream horns allowed – Great Viking Bake-Off launches!

Sunday 22 February 2015 (Links to images can be found at the end of this news release)Whilst horned helmets are a definite no-no for York’s Vikings, cream horns will be more than welcome as part of a brand new event for the JORVIK Viking Festival’s Great Viking Bake Off, being held on Sunday 22 February in York’s Guildhall. The competition, which is open to anyone who fancies showing off their baking skills, will see entrants swap sword for palette knife, shield for bowl scraper and armour for apron in four different categories looking for: -          The best Viking-shaped cake

Contemporary sagas bring authors to 2015 JORVIK Viking Festival

If there’s one thing that truly brings the Vikings to life it’s hearing stories about them and there are plenty of those in store at this year’s JORVIK Viking Festival taking place in York, 14-22 February 2015. “We are very excited about the varied line-up of author events at this year's Viking Festival - from award-winning popular children's author Jeremy Strong to bestselling historical fiction writer Giles Kristian, with fascinating non-fiction titles from Vincent Atherton, Snorri Krisjanssen and Matthew Townend - there really is something for everyone,” says event organiser Danielle

Vikings ride the rails for reconnaissance trip to Manchester

JORVIK Viking Festival partners with train operator, First TransPennine Express to bring Viking warriors to the tracksThose looking out for Viking invaders would traditionally look towards the coast, but today, a scouting party arrived in Manchester not by sea, but by rail, as a group of Norse warriors from the JORVIK Viking Festival relied upon the train as the quickest way to reach the North West for their reconnaissance mission! Travelling by First TransPennine Express from York to Manchester the trio of travellers marked their presence on the city in true Viking style, greeting the

World first for 2015 JORVIK Viking Festival lecture programme

In a prestigious archaeological coup, the results of investigations into a newly discovered Viking-age ring fortress in Denmark will be the highlight of the 2015 JORVIK Viking Festival lecture programme being held in York from 14-22 February. This is the first time the results will be presented outside Scandinavia. ‘Discovering Borgring: A Viking Fortress Reveals Its Secrets’ is an opportunity to hear direct from the archaeological team who led the excavations at Borgring, discovered near the old city of Køge, south of Copenhagen, in September 2014. Dr Søren Sindbæk and Dr Nanna Holm

World first for 2015 JORVIK Viking Festival lecture programme

In a prestigious archaeological coup, the results of investigations into a newly discovered Viking-age ring fortress in Denmark will be the highlight of the 2015 JORVIK Viking Festival lecture programme being held in York from 14-22 February. This is the first time the results will be presented outside Scandinavia. ‘Discovering Borgring: A Viking Fortress Reveals Its Secrets’ is an opportunity to hear direct from the archaeological team who led the excavations at Borgring, discovered near the old city of Køge, south of Copenhagen, in September 2014. Dr Søren Sindbæk and Dr Nanna Holm

Contemporary sagas bring authors to 2015 JORVIK Viking Festival

If there’s one thing that truly brings the Vikings to life it’s hearing stories about them and there are plenty of those in store at this year’s JORVIK Viking Festival taking place in York, 14-22 February 2015. “We are very excited about the varied line-up of author events at this year's Viking Festival - from award-winning popular children's author Jeremy Strong to bestselling historical fiction writer Giles Kristian, with fascinating non-fiction titles from Vincent Atherton, Snorri Krisjanssen and Matthew Townend - there really is something for everyone,” says event organiser Danielle

Lots on for little Vikings when the Norse invaders return to York at February half term

14 - 22 February 2015More family-friendly events at a variety of locations around the city are promised by organisers of the JORVIK Viking Festival, with plans including a Viking small holding in the heart of York city centre! The Viking Steading will be part of a free Viking encampment taking place in Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square through the 31stJORVIK Viking Festival, which runs from Saturday 14 to Sunday 22 February 2015.  Sheep, pigs, a pony and a calf will be joined by plenty of poultry to give a whole new take on the ‘urban farm’ concept on the opening week of the

Fantastic new sounds for Festival Folk as Barley Hall welcomes the JORVIK Viking Festival

One of York’s most stunning historic settings will provide the venue for two top folk music events at this year’s JORVIK Viking Festival, when Barley Hall welcomes Ruth Keggin and Ray Cooper for two nights of musical magic. 26 year old Ruth Keggin is credited with leading a revival in Manx music, with her stunning voice                and her debut album, Sheear, receiving critical acclaim across the folk music world.  Mary Ann Kennedy of BBC Radio 3 describes: “Ruth Keggin is the pure and passionate Gaelic voice of the Manx musical renaissance. Sheear is a thing of beauty which makes

Forget the intimate restaurant – Viking Wedding will be the hottest ticket in York for Valentine’s Day 2015

A love affair that brings together two warring families, a harridan mother-in-law, a horde of unruly groomsmen and amorous bridesmaids – what better way is there to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with a Norse love story played out by live actors, combined with a fantastic Viking Feast?  That is what is on offer at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall in York on 14 February 2015 on the opening weekend of the JORVIK Viking Festival 2015.  “This event is the absolute opposite to the traditional Valentine’s Day romantic meal for two – a raucous evening of entertainment, music and sumptuous food when

'Swap razor for fish oil' men urged by Viking experts

Men who have been given razors as gifts this Christmas are being urged to return them to the shop, exchanging them instead for a healthy supply of vitamins and fish oil, as Norse experts from JORVIK Viking Festival declare war on hair removal! With only two months to go before the annual ‘Best Beard Contest’ – part of the JORVIK Viking Festival taking place in York from 14-22 February 2015 – organisers are suggesting that ‘real’ men should ditch the razor for the next couple of months if they are to pull off the ultimate Norse hipster look, with a luxurious facial hair. “We know that

A brave new world - JORVIK Viking Festival turns the end into a new beginning

14 -  22 February 2015With the JORVIK Viking Festival’s 2014 theme exploring Ragnarok – the Viking apocalypse – organisers of the annual event in February 2015 will continue the story with the two survivors and an epic reboot of the original Norse legends, played out against the backdrop of historic York. “According to Norse mythology, time and the universe is cyclical, so even though we celebrated the end of the world with our Ragnarok theme last year, the whole cycle of life starts again for this year’s Festival with the two survivors of the apocalypse - Lif and Lifthrasir.  Our

Apocalypse Not: Relief as prediction for Ragnarok passes!

“The world can breathe a collective sigh of relief!”“The world can breathe a collective sigh of relief!”  That’s the message from the team behind the JORVIK Viking Festival in York, UK, who had predicted that the Norse apocalypse, known as Ragnarok, would occur before 8.00pm GMT today, Saturday 22 February 2014. The prediction had been based upon interpretation of several of the myths and legends surrounding Ragnarok, the event in Viking mythology which would see the traditional gods fall, and a new world arising for humanity.  Danielle Daglan, Director of the JORVIK Viking Festival,

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