Welcome to the Johnsmas Foy 2009
We invite you to join us as we celebrate the Johnsmas Foy in June. We guarantee that, whatever your interest, there will be something to enjoy.
Each year the Foy has a different theme. This year we look at the Viking world, the result of an extraordinary period of colonisation that influenced life around the North Atlantic and North Sea for centuries. Shetland, was at the heart of it and the islands' Norse flavour is unmistakeable, so join us on a voyage of Viking discovery.
While many of the events will centre around the theme, these will be complemented by a range of other midsummer events taking place throughout Shetland. This year the Johnsmas Foy runs for ten highly active days from Thursday 18 June through till Sunday 28 June and, as in previous years, it incorporates Flavour of Shetland held annually on Lerwick's Victoria Pier.
Compared to times past however, today's Johnsmas Foy is a much wider celebration of all things connected to Shetland's unique culture and heritage. Never-the-less the festival still maintains close links to its original maritime roots, together with promoting a range of entertaining and informative events aimed at all age groups throughout the community and of course the many visitors to our islands.
In recognition of all these factors an exciting and diverse line-up of local and international events will be promoted as part of this year's Foy, with its central theme being ‘Shetland and the Viking World'.
This Year's Events
Just a few of the many eclectic events taking place throughout this year's Foy will be:
- A concert of authentic Viking music in Lerwick Town Hall featuring Norwegian and Finnish musicians.
- Talks on the Icelandic Sagas by renowned academic Professor Gisli Sigurðsson.
- Viking warrior re-enactments at the Old Scatness iron-age village.
- A Viking feast with lashings of food and Viking entertainment.
- The acclaimed Sails in St Magnus exhibition, on display in the Shetland Museum and Archives. A dramatic visual art installation depicting the Journey of St Rognvald.
- The story of the Rognvald's Journey told through words and music by three of Orkney's finest storytellers and musicians.
- 'Hnefatafl' (an authentic Viking board-game) workshops and competitions.
- A visit to Shetland by the ex Norwegian fishing vessel 'Nybakk' - now a floating museum and also the Norwegian vessel 'Haugefisk' - originally built in 1977 and restored in 2005 by the Coastal Museum of Sogn og Fjordane.
Add to these further talks, workshops, films, book displays, exhibitions, yacht and yoal races, sporting events, boat trips, music events, community events, carnivals and guided walks and as you will see the Johnsmas Foy has now blossomed from its original fishing related roots into a cultural feast Shetland style.
Full details of all these events and much more besides can be found on the Calendar of Events page – read on and enjoy the Foy!!!
