The JORVIK Viking Festival returns this February! York will be taken over by Viking warriors from Monday February 17th to Sunday February 23rd 2025. The world-renowned festival features living history encampments, workshops, tours, traditional crafts, feasts, family events, evening entertainment, and dramatic combat performances.
Celebrating its 40th anniversary, this year’s Festival has more than ever for adults, children, and families. The festival continues to be accessible with many free or low-cost events as well as events with reduced-price tickets for those on low incomes. The full programme is now available, so take a look, secure your tickets, and have a February Half-Term for the history books!
JORVIK Viking Festival 2025 – The highlights for families
Here’s our pick of the very best things for families to see and do at the 2025 JORVIK Viking Festival, all taking place in York city centre from 17th to 23rd February 2025. Many of the activities are free – hooray! – and all of them are fun. The Viking encampment, Poo Day and March to Coppergate are our top picks, but here are all of the highlights for families.
– A Winter Adventure at JORVIK Viking Centre (open daily) – This winter, experience AD 960 like never before! For the first time in 40 years, JORVIK Viking Centre is embracing the chill with an immersive winter makeover. Step into the icy world of the Vikings and discover how they braved the cold, kept themselves and their animals warm, what they ate and how they entertained themselves during the long, dark Yorkshire months.
– Viking Encampment (17th to 23rd February, 10.30am to 4.30pm, Parliament Street/St Sampson’s Square) – FREE! – The Vikings have taken over York City Centre! Snap some selfies as you watch them in action, from woodworking to making traditional leatherwork and even get your face painted to look like a true Norse warrior! Visit Parliament Street to experience the excitement up close and catch a glimpse of Viking life right in the heart of the city. Free event.
– Berserker Boot Camp (17th to 23rd February, 10.30am to 4.30pm, £10) – Get your little Vikings ready for battle at the Berserker Bootcamp! Led by seasoned warriors, kids will learn the art of combat with foam swords and shields—don’t worry, Norse health and safety keep it all safe and fun! Perfect for ages 5-12, these workshops are a great way to let young warriors experience the thrill of Viking training. This is the perfect preparation for the brand-new Kids Battle event! Click here to learn more and get ready for an unforgettable Viking showdown.
– Kids’ Barbaric Battle (22nd February 2025, 10.30am to 12 noon, £5) – Every Viking remembers their first battle—now it’s your little warrior’s turn! In the brand-new Kids’ Battle, up to 100 young fighters will step into the Eye of York to prove themselves worthy of Valhalla (and we’re pretty sure they all are!). This is a practice battle, so safety comes first—foam weapons, shields, and equipment are all provided. Little Vikings under 5 will need an adult by their side on the battlefield.
– Viking Crafting for Kids (17th to 23rd February, 10am to 4pm, Barley Hall, admission charges apply) – Let your little Vikings unleash their creativity with the festival’s kids’ crafting activities! From crafting their own beard to brooch-making and pottery, there’s plenty to keep them busy. These activities are free with admission to Barley Hall, so bring your little ones along for a day of creativity and discovery! Visit the website
– Tryggvi Treehammer’s Top Trumps Trail (17th to 23rd February 2025, 10.30 to 4.30pm) – FREE! – Tryggvi Treehammer has set up a Viking Trail across the city of York! Follow in his footsteps by visiting the JORVIK Viking Centre, Barley Hall, DIG, the Midgard Marquee, Museum Gardens, Merchant Adventurers Hall and the information point on Parliament Street. Follow the instructions on your activity sheet along the way, and earn an exclusive Top Trumps card that’s a perfect addition to the brand-new JORVIK Top Trumps set, making its debut at the Festival. Completing the trail is completely free! Visit the website
– Viking Games (22nd February, 1.30pm to 2.30pm) – Back by popular demand, this family-friendly event returns for 2025! Watch as experienced reenactors battle it out in a test of strength, skill, cunning and wisdom with Odin as the referee. Expect combat, impressive feats of endurance and plenty of laughs along the way. Visit the website
– March to Coppergate (22nd February, 1.30pm to 2pm) – Starting from Deans Park (behind York Minster) to St Helen’s Square, Parliament Street and Coppergate – FREE! – They’ve come from near and far to muster in their fearsome armies – now it’s your chance to see hundreds of Viking warriors march through the city. With their war cries echoing around the streets, the March to Coppergate is a mighty sight to behold. Recommended viewing areas are St Helen’s Square, Parliament Street and The Coppergate Centre. Free entry.
– Poo Week (17th to 23rd February, 11am to 4pm), DIG: An Archaeological Adventure – It’s smelly, it’s squelchy, and it’s a highlight of the Festival calendar! Believe it or not, poo can reveal a lot about our past! Take the kids to DIG and discover why archaeologists are fascinated by this unexpected treasure. They’ll even have the chance to create their own replica fossilised poo, inspired by the famous Lloyds Bank Turd at JORVIK Viking Centre. While you’re in the area, why not plan a visit to JORVIK and see it for yourself?
– Evening Spectacular: Tyrfing. The Cursed Sword (21st and 22nd February, 7.30pm to 8.30pm) – Experience the Evening Spectacular! Be guided into a world with a chance encounter between a king and two dwarves that leads to the forging of a magical sword – but all is not as it seems. Join ‘Time Will Tell Theatre’, as they journey into the heart of a Viking myth with trickery, beauty, death and curses in the Tale of Tyrfing; The Cursed Sword! Visit the website
– The Art of Illustration Workshop with Katie Smith, Viking Top Trumps illustrator (20th February, 11am to 12pm) – Join talented illustrator Katie Smith for an exclusive event where she will share insights into her creative process, discussing how she designed the artwork for the new Vikings Top Trumps cards. The event will begin with an introductory talk, followed by a 45-minute drawing workshop, where Katie will guide participants in creating their own Top Trumps character using simple drawing techniques. Visit the website
