Battle lines are drawn at the Eye of York at the 2026 JORVIK Viking Festival. Picture: Jonathan Pow
THE Norse weather gods looked favourably on the Vikings of York as weeks of rain broke to keep the 2026 JORVIK Viking Festival dry and even sunny.
From January 16 to 22, thousands of visitors descended on the city, where 50,000 people joined in the fun, from the encampment to the spectacular March to Coppergate, a parade of around 450 Vikings.
“This has really been an epic year for JORVIK Viking Festival, with the vast majority of the events sold out before the festival even opened, and really good crowds turning out to enjoy all the free activities and displays we have hosted” said Mark Jackson, head of operations for York Archaeology, the festival organisers.
Despite gloomy forecasts, the rain held off all day last Saturday(21/2/2026) for the large-scale events taking place at the Eye of York.
From the young warriors-in-training who opened the day with the Kids Barbaric Battle, to the full-grown Viking combatants taking on four rounds of combat in the Battle Spectacular, climaxing with a pyrotechnic display, the public experienced the ferocious side of the Viking invaders.
“The March to Coppergate seemed particularly well supported, with people lining both side of the street the whole way from Dean’s Park to Coppergate, cheering on the marching Vikings as they passed,” said Mark.
“Indeed, the living history encampment in Parliament Street was packed all week, with the wood turning, blacksmithing and tattooing proving exceptionally popular.
“It is brilliant to see so many people engaging with this fascinating period in York’s history, and learning a little about how our 10th-century ancestors would have lived.”
On the festival’s closing day (22/2/2026), 10th-century traders traded at Merchant Adventurers’ Hall; children crafted at Barley Hall, and Poo week concluded at DIG on St Saviourgate. A Fringe event, the Jorvik Tattoo Moot, continued at Merchant Taylors’ Hall and Bedern Hall for those wanting a permanent souvenir of their festival visit.
The festival finale coincided with the final evening of York BID’s Colour & Light installation at the Eye of York, which told the story of York’s villains and legends through Double Take Projections’ projection on the Castle Museum and Clifford’s Tower, where a familiar Viking name – Eric Bloodaxe – put in an appearance.
JORVIK Viking Festival coincided with the traditional Viking end of winter, when the seasonal makeover at JORVIK Viking Centre, covering the re-creation of Viking-age Coppergate with a thick blanket of snow for A Winter Adventure, concluded too.
JORVIK will close today for “the great thaw”, reopening on Tuesday with the street scenes reverting to their usual spring setting of a May afternoon in the year AD960.