Northmavine and Uyeasound fire festivals arrive

Up-Helly-A’ season continues as two more fire festivals take place today (Friday).

The time has arrived for Northmavine and Uyeasound to host the celebrations, culminating in the evening’s torchlit procession and galley burning.

Northmavine’s Guizer Jarl David Brown, aka Thorkell the Tall, has said it is a “great honour” to be leading the festivities, over 30 years after his first taste of being in the Jarl’s Squad. His father Peter was Guizer Jarl in 1997.

The Jarl’s Squad itinerary kicks off with a visit to Urafirth Primary School at 9.30am, followed by calls at Ollaberry and North Roe Primary Schools.

After lunch at North Roe and Lochend Hall, the squad will pose for photographs at the Hillswick waterfront.

And then in the evening all the guizers will assemble at the Hillswick Hall at 7.30pm, ready for the procession at 8pm. The galley will be burned at the loch at Urafirth.

Revelry will continue late into the night – and into the morning – at the three halls: Hillswick, Sullom and Ollaberry.

Guizer Jarl for the Uyeasound festival, meanwhile, is Baltasound Junior High School head teacher Paul Thomson.

He and his squad will visit the school at 11am before stopping by the care centre for lunch, followed by photos.

The evening’s procession will set off from the galley shed at 8pm, heading for the burning site on the shore.

Uyeasound Hall will host the night’s entertainment in the form of acts by squads and music from the Alan Nicholson Dance Band.