Viking Festival
Viking Festival 29th August – 6th September 2009
Burning the Longship
On Friday night the Vikings led a parade along the prom to Aubrey Park, where there was aViking Funeral for Peter Boyle, a sailor who requested his remains be returned to that sea. It was both a sombre and a joyful event, conducted with dignity by the Swords of Dalriada Viking Re-enactment Group.
Largs Prom at Sunset, before the Torchlight Procession
The Festival got underway on Saturday with a very good parade ..
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Squadron Leader Scott Loughran Performs over Largs in his RAF Typhoon
The Typhoon was piloted by local man Scott Loughran.
The parade, opening ceremony and some of the Typhoon aerobatics can be viewed on this video from Debbieinternational;
http://www.youtube.com/user/Debbieinternational
The Festival has already secured two top line attractions.
On 29th August, Tommy Smith, renowned Scottish Jazz saxophonist ( website here ), is appearing with the trio, Arild Andersen Tommy Smith Paolo Vinnaccia. Arild is Norwegian, fitting nicely with the Viking concept and Paolo is Italian, which also fits well with Largs’ large Italian influence.
The other main attraction on the opening day is an air display by the new Eurpfighter/Typhoon. This plane is the RAF’s latest and most advanced airplane. The display is doubly exciting in that the pilot is a local man from Skelmorlie, and an ex-pupil of Largs Academy.
The Festival will have other events including other music events, the ever popular Viking Village, Coninental Market, Craft Fair, Burning of the Longship and the Battle Re-enectment at the Pencil.
Largs Viking Festival
6th September 2008
The Culture Minister Linda Fabiani visited the Viking Festival today. The sun shone, the Festival was busy and friendly, and the Minister was very enthusiastic about what she saw.
Culture Minister Linda Fabiani meets a Viking Artisan
The Minister and Festival patron Professor Magnus Fladmark were shown some of the fetaures of Largs.
Professor Magnus Fladmark meets Staff at Largs Museum.
I have recently become a director of Largs Viking Festival. I will keep a record of some of the events in this year’s festival on this page, so it will be updated most days.
The Festival proper starts tomorrow, but the excitement has already started with the arrival of the RFA Largs Bay in the North Bay.
The ship has anchored in full view of the prom. Tonight there is a civic reception on board, and over the weekend there will be a number of trips out for local people to get a guided tour of the vessel. Unfortunately, numbers are limited and all places are already taken! But it is hoped that the ship will visit Largs as part of future Viking Festivals so, if you missed it this time, maybe you’ll get a trip another time.
31st August
Some scenes from the first full day of the festival
Professor Magnus Fladmark and guests from the Norwegian consul
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