Viking culture centered around community gathering and feasting, which provided social cohesion.
Therefore, the modern idea of a Viking festival, where people with a shared interest in Norse history and Viking culture get together, would have seemed like a good idea in the Viking world.
Modern Viking festivals are more about fun than marriage alliances and forming raiding parties.
It is an excuse to get dressed up in your finest Viking year, shop for authentic handmade wares, and participate in fun activities such as axe throwing and battle reenactments with experts.
Hundreds of Viking festivals happen each year, especially in Scandinavia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
While we haven’t been able to put together a comprehensive list, below is a list of some of the bigger and more exciting Viking festivals confirmed for 2025.
Find one near you and book now.
Up Helly Aa
28 January 2025 – Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland
This incredible fire festival is the perfect way to start the Viking year.
When darkness falls on the northern island, thousands of torchbearers in Viking dress march through the streets in an impressive festival.
It culminated in the burning of a replica Viking ship, which symbolizes a farewell to winter and the slow return of summer.
Jorvik Viking Festival
17-5 February 2025 – York, United Kingdom
Each year, this festival takes over the streets of York, once occupied by the Vikings as Jorvik.
There are history encampments, workshops, tours, traditional crafts, feasts, dramatic combat reenactments, and more.
Highlights will include Viking games and sports and an evening live performance of “Tyrfing: The Cursed Sword.”
Michigan Nordic Fire Festival
21-23 February 2025 – Charlotte, Michigan, United States
2025 marks ten years of the Michigan Nordic Fire Festival.
The event includes cooking classes, battle reenactments, blacksmiths, Norse living villages, mead making, spear throwing, axe throwing, archery, and more.
There is also usually a prize for the best Viking costume.
The Viking Experience Festival
22-23 and 29-30 March 2025 – Oxford, North Carolina, United States
The Viking Experience NC is a historically inspired entertainment group that provides immersive experiences for visitors.
Their annual festival will be held over two weekends in March with interactive characters, reenactors, music, a fairy glen, dancing, games, vendors, food, classes, axe throwing, mead tasting, fight pits, and more.
Sheringham Viking Festival
5 April 2025 – Sheringham, Norfolk, United Kingdom
Sheringham festival stands out from the crowd because of its annual boat-burning ceremony, along with feasts and other Viking-era activities.
Scandinavian Festival
5-6 April 2025 – Thousand Oaks, California, United States
This annual festival is held by the Scandinavian American Cultural and Historical Foundation in sunny California and has been held in some form since the 1970s.
Expect food demonstrations (and tastings), heathen services, historical craft makers, a children’s stage, and a mainstage.
A highlight includes the midsummer pole ceremony.
Whitestown Viking Fest
25-27 April 2025 – Whitestown, Indianapolis, United States
This is an annual festival for enthusiasts, so expect plenty of authentic Viking clothing and armor, and intense battle reenactments, plus local artisans and educators.
Music and dance performances by Nordic-inspired bands are among the highlights.
Ribe International Viking Market
28 April – 4 May 2025 – Ribe, Denmark
1300 years ago, in the Viking Age Ribe, the marketplace by the River was an exciting and tremendously important place.
Vikings and other good people came from far and wide to trade and exchange goods right here.
The market was known throughout the world, and as it attracted very skilled craftsmen the place buzzed with life. And that was the beginning of Ribe.
The modern international market recreates that atmosphere and is a great opportunity to buy authentically made Viking-inspired goods.
Jork Viking Market
May 2025 – Hamburg, Germany
Live like a Viking at the annual Viking Market in Jork just west of Hamburg.
Historic reenactments, music, shopping opportunities, and plenty of delicious refreshments make this event a must.
Summer Awakenings Viking Festival
11-12 May 2025 – Texarkana, Arizona, United States
This is one of the newer Viking festivals but it is already making a splash with firework displays, battle reenactments, and live wrestling events, all hosted by the Dancing Ranch Farm in Arizona.
Vikingfest
18-20 May 2025 – Eindhoven, Netherlands
If you are keen on this festival, best to get your tickets soon as some days are already sold out.
This is a week packed with merchants, fighters, craftspeople, storytellers, musicians, and much more Viking fun for the whole family.
Set around the Prehistorisch Dorp Museum, the market is a wonderful place to buy handcrafted knives and aces, authentic and pure fabrics, glass beads, bone carvings, and much more.
Historiske Avaldsnes: The Viking Festival
6-8 June 2025 – Viking Farm at Avaldsnes, Western Norway
This family-friendly weekend of activities attracts around 200 people a year to experience a taste of authentic Viking life.
It has one of the largest Viking markets with handicrafts and food, plus traditional Norse music.
Activities include archery, horseback riding, juggling, and more.
Rigcrafts Viking Festival
6-8 June 2025 – Milton, Delaware, United States
This festival is described as a Viking-themed mix of mead and metal sure to appeal to many enthusiasts.
The festival has one of the best Viking and metal-themed markets in the country, and bands for 2025 include Bastion’s Wake, Isenmor, Sekengard, and Goblin Hovel.
Trondheim Viking Market
June 2025 – Trondheim, Norway
Trondheim Vikinglag is the proud organizer of a historical market in the Trondheim area, one weekend every summer.
We want to show you how the Vikings dressed, how many different crafts and materials they had, what food they ate, and how they fought! By bringing our history to life, we promise an experience that will be remembered fondly by both young and old.
Hafnarfjordur Viking Festival
13-18 June 2025 – Reykjavik, Iceland
This annual festival is hosted by the Rimmugygur reenactment group and is one of Iceland’s oldest and most popular Viking festivals.
It has an excellent Viking market, realistic battle reenactments twice a day, activities such as axe and spear throwing, and the famous Viking feast.
Foteviken Viking Week and Market
June 2025 – Malmo, Sweden
During the Viking Age, a great summer market was held at Foteviken, the largest in Scandinavia according to the Faroese Saga.
Take part in many exciting activities and watch demonstrations in wrought iron, brick ribbon weaving, dying, Viking cooking, wood carving, and more !
Solkin: Ways of Old
27-28 June 2025 – Peak District, United Kingdom
Family-friendly weekend led by a pagan and heathen enthusiast community with workshops, rituals, live music, and of course feasting !
The theme for the 2025 festival is “The Warrior’s Call” and will celebrate the cardinal qualities of a Viking warrior, and, of course, the power of the wolf.
The program includes axe throwing, including a competition, fire drumming, fire walking, the history of mead and mead club, re-enactment battles, Seidr throat singing, and a Viking training camp.
Stallarholmens Viking Festival
4-6 July 2025 – Osta Strand on Sela Island, Sweden
For one weekend, Östa Strand on Sela Island is transformed into a lively marketplace filled with traders who have traveled from far and wide to participate in this unforgettable market weekend.
Feel the scents of open fires, see live craftsmen and fighters, past games and enjoy beats from the past and of course much more !
Trelleborg Viking Festival
12-20 July 2025 – Trelleborg, Denmark
Step back in time at the Trelleborg Viking Festival. Immerse yourself in the thrilling world of Vikings.
Witness the grandeur of the Battle of Trelleborg with over 250 Viking warriors, explore authentic Viking crafts, and savor the taste of Viking-era cuisine.
Meet at least 1,000 Vikings at the festival !
Valhalla Viking Festival
25-27 July 2025 – Basingstoke, United Kingdom
This three-day festival imitates the Vikings in that each day is focused around the evening feast with family and friends.
View Viking battles, take plat in workshops, shop weird and wonderful creations from authentic makers, and more.
Bands include The Dark Bardess, Anna Tam, Vlka Fenrika, Oldaf the Skald, Albion, Seidrblot, Kayr, and more,
Wolin Viking Festival
July/August 2025 – Wolin, Poland
Taking place each year at the end of July/beginning of August, on Wolin Island in Poland, this festival is one of the largest and most immersive Viking reenactment events in Europe.
Every year, visitors from all over the world gather to celebrate Viking culture with battle reenactments, traditional crafts, ancient rituals, and music.
It’s a rare opportunity to experience the life of a Viking warrior or a Norse craftsman in an environment that feels genuinely frozen in time.
Icelandic Festival
1-5 August 2025 – Manitoba, Canada
This festival just celebrated 135 years, making it one of the oldest in the New World.
Expect battle reenactments, traditional dress and drinks, Viking games and sports, bands, and even carnival rides and watersports.
Museum Nord Viking Festival
7-10 August 2025 – Melbu, Norway
The festival is an annual experience, with Vikings from home and abroad, markets, performances, concerts, fight shows, games, and competitions.
There is something for every taste and age.
The festival takes place at the Viking Ship Harbour, with contemporary buildings such as boathouses, many Viking tents, and beautiful natural surroundings.
The first festival was held in 2004 and since then the festival has been known for its high quality, authentic touch.
Crow Wing Viking Fest
9 August 2025 – Brainerd, Minnesota, United States
This is a fun one-day festival that delves deep into Viking history.
Modern skalds tell Norse myths and Viking legends, get a rune reading, learn how to use weapons and participate in family-friendly reenactments, sing songs of the World Tree, and participate in the Camp Longdance.
Largs Viking Festival
30 August – 7 September 2025 – Largs, Scotland
Started in 1980 this Annual Festival marks the 1263 Battle of Largs, the last mainland battle between the Scots and Norse.
Each year the living history Viking Village has been open to the public so that they can get a glimpse of what life would have been like in a 13th Century Viking Village.
Scandinavian Fest
September 2025 – Budd Lake, New Jersey, United States
This festival celebrates everything Scandinavian, including the Vikings, so prepare for a day of discovery.
The 2025 date hasn’t been set yet, but a replica of Leif Erikson’s ship and the Danegeld reenactment group are already confirmed, as well as a troop of traditional Swedish wrestlers.
Longhouse Gathering Weekend
15 September 2025 – Wyoming, United States
During the Viking Age, the Nordic peoples built immense structures that housed extended families who practiced communal living.
The Longhouses were also havens of hospitality.
Northern Woman’s Longhouse Gatherings recreate this shared experience.
Explore the changing seasons while camping in tents, sharing meals, fishing, and learning Nordic bushcraft skills among other things.
Vista Viking Festival
September 2025 – San Diego, California, United States
This highly anticipated event promises to transport attendees back in time to the age of the legendary Vikings, offering a unique blend of history, entertainment, and immersive experiences.
From thrilling Viking reenactments to authentic cuisine and crafts, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.
Winternights Viking Festival
October 2025 – Vernon, New Jersey, United States
Vetrnaetr or Winter Nights VIKING Festival is both an annual Vikings festival and a place to honor, share, learn, & promote Vikings and early Norse culture and beliefs.
Great Northern Viking Festival
18-19 October 2025 – Mankato, Minnesota, United States
The Great Northern Viking Festival, hosted by Northern Woman Productions, is a vibrant family-friendly annual celebration that honors the rich Old Norse and Viking heritage within the heart of Minnesota, a land steeped with Scandinavian roots.
The festival aims to transport attendees back in time, immersing them fully in the Viking era through an exhilarating festival experience.
While honoring the ancient Norse Viking ways, we offer an exciting fusion of entertainment, education, and immersive experiences, bridging the gap between past and present.
VikingsCon
November 2025 – Maryland, United States
VikingsCon recreates their own version of Kattegat to invite visitors back into the world of the Vikings.
You can experience various elements of Viking life with experienced artisans and actors.
There is also an opportunity to participate in a Viking feast and camp overnight.
VikingFest
9 November 2025 – Kansas City, Missouri, United States
VikingFest is a captivating and immersive experience that transports you to the legendary and historical world of the Vikings.
This thrilling event seamlessly blends historical accuracy with elements of Viking mythology and fiction, offering a unique and unforgettable adventure for all who dare to join !
