Sheringham gets ready for weekend ‘invasion’ by Vikings

Three-year-old Rosie Pitcher sporting a costume complete with horned helmet for Sheringham's inaugural Viking festival. Photo: Karen Bethell (Image: Archant)

The new two-day event will be launched from a wooden longship at 10am on Saturday - and will end with a traditional boat burning on the seafront.

It is the idea of local artist and signwriter Colin Seal and his grandson Ian Davis, because of Viking links with the original settlement of Upper Sheringham.

Activities include shield and sword-making workshops, a Viking-themed craft fair, and a parade through the town led by firebearers carrying flaming wooden torches.

Entertainment will be provided by members of Suffolk-based re-enactment group Wuffa and young people from Sheringham Little Theatre's outreach drama groups, with the Crown pub hosting an evening of music from local bands on Saturday.

The festival centrepiece – a wooden Viking longboat complete with dragon figurehead - is currently 'docked' in the Lobster pub gardens.

It will be displayed in the town centre before being set alight out at sea in a traditional Norse boat-burning ceremony.

Staff from town shops and businesses will be donning Viking dress, with traders at the Funky Mackerel cafe and the Courtyard shopping arcade teaming up to join in the fun by running pole lathe woodturning demonstrations and costume-making workshops.

Julie Elvin, who owns Courtyard dress shop North Norfolk Formal Wear has been selling hand-made Viking costumes in the run up to the event.

She hoped the festival would prove a hit with local people and visitors alike.

'We always get involved with other Sheringham events, so we were really happy to support the Viking festival as these things are a great way of promoting the town,' she said. For more information, visit the Scira Viking Festival facebook page or phone 07879 681227.

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