7 Viking festivals to let loose your inner warrior
The vikings were a powerful, revered breed — so much so that they remain a source of inspiration more than 1,000 years after their reign.
Across the world, people continue emulating the Vikings, and the spirit is strongest in Norway.
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Norwegian Viking festivals are basically amped-up versions of Renaissance Faires: There's heavy mead drinking, battle reenactments and pretty intense costumes.
So, for those who want to step back in time to a more fearful era, we rounded up seven of Norway's biggest Viking parties. Now go forth and conquer.
St. Olav Festival
The St. Olav festival is one of Norway's biggest and most important. (And not to be confused with St. Olaf.)
This year will be the 52nd festival in honor of St. Olav, who died in battle while trying to Christianize Norway in the 11th century. He was made a saint after several miracles were witnessed at his burial site.
Today, people from all over make pilgrimages to the festival in his honor. Once they arrive, there's music, festivities and a market.
This year, the festival is July 24-21 in Stiklestad.
Trondheim Vikinglag
Trondheim was the capital of Norway during the Viking period. The city honors its history with the annual Vikinglag, or "Viking Way," festival.
The festival highlights opportunities to meet and talk with craftsmen who work in traditional Viking-era methods.
While in Trondheim, check out Rockheim, the museum for pop and rock. The vikings, who were big on music, would definitely approve.
Vikinglag runs June 20-26 in Trondheim.
Karmøy Viking Market
The largest viking market in western Norway is a weekend full of battle reenactments, entertainers dressed in period garb and food from ancient times.
Karmoy is also a huge archaeological site and contains several reconstructed houses from the viking era.
The market runs June 9-12.
Oslo Medieval Festival
Oslo was founded under rule of the vikings, around the year 1000. Remains from this time are still visible in Oslo's old town.
The city's ancient roots are remembered every year at the Oslo Middelalder Festival. The festival has crafts, concerts, theatre performances and lectures all designed to help visitors get in touch with Oslo's roots.
The festival runs May 27-29 in Oslo.
Gudvangen Viking Market
Gudvangen was originally a Viking town and it remains true to its ancestry today. Attendees of the annual Viking market gather every year to participate in contests, games and reenactments of viking life.
Organizers of the event have promised to focus on battle reenactments this year. The market will also have mead drinking and Gilma — ancient Viking battle technique —demonstrations, just hopefully not in tandem.
The festival runs from July 19-24 this year.
Lofotr Viking Festival
Norway's premiere Viking Museum is located in Lofotr. Every summer the museum holds a feast and opens its archaeological sites to visitors.
The feast includes traditional leg of lamb, dancing with Viking actors and late night views of Borg, the viking chieftain house.
This year the feast runs Aug. 3-7.
Sunnmøre Medieval Festival
Hosted by the Sunnmore Medieval Museum, the weekend summer festival is equal parts education and party.
The museum is built on the excavation site of a Viking trading community, but it's worth traveling a little farther to check out the surrounding nature: The area's fjords and mountains remain as majestic as when the Vikings traversed them.
The Sunnmøre Medieval Festival takes place June 4-5.
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Cailey studied journalism at SUNY Purchase and french cinema & literature at Paris IV Sorbonne. She is a cynical optimist and Talking Heads karaoke enthusiast. Drop her a line @misscaileyanne
