Template:Featurt airticle/Januar 2021
Up Helly Aa (/ˌʌp hɛli ˈɑː/ UP-hel-ee-AH; literally "Up Holy [Day] Aa") is a series o twal fire festivals at tak plaess yearly fae January tae Mairch in Shetland, Scotland, tae mark da end o da yule saison. Ivry festival haes a torchlit procession by squads o folk in costume (kent as guizers) dat culminates in da burnin o a Vikin gelley. Da biggest festival held in Lerwick, Shetland's capital, haes a procession wi up tae a thoosand guizers wha march troo da streets o Lerwick on da haedmist Tuesday o January. Da idder rural festivals (kent as da 'country' Up Helly Aas) see peerier quantities o participants wi dir peerier populations.
Da event taks plaess aa ower Shetland and eenoo is celebrated in eelivin locations – Scallowa, Lerwick, Nestin an Girlsta, Uyeasoond, Nortmavine, Bressa, Cullava, Norrik, Waas, da Sooth Mainland an Deltin. Der a head guizer wha is caaed da "Guizer Jarl" (pron. "yarl"). Der a committee dat a body most be pairt o fir 15 year afore dey can be a jarl, an ony ee body is elected tae da committee ivry year. Da procession culminates in da torches bein flung intil a replica Vikin longship or gelley. Efter da procession, da squads veesit local haals (includin sköls, sports centres an hottels), whaar private pairties ir held. At ivry haal, da squads perform dir acts, dat can be a send-up o a popular TV programme or film, a skit on local events or folk, or singin an dancin.