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Up-Helly-Aa
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Up-Helly-Aa

Scottish festival
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Quick Summary

Up-Helly-Aa is a festival held in Shetland, Scotland, typically on the last Tuesday of January, marking the end of the Yule season. The name originates from Middle English, meaning "holiday".1

The festival is strongly associated with the Norse heritage of the Shetland Islands. A significant event during Up-Helly-Aa is the torchlight procession featuring a full-sized model of a Norse longship, which is then burned. Shetland itself has a rich history, with evidence of settlement dating back to the 3rd millennium BCE and significant Norse influence from the 8th and 9th centuries CE.234

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
4 Britannica Sources
  1. Up-Helly-Aa
  2. Scotland - The Norse influence
  3. Shetland Islands
  4. Lerwick

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