By Vikings sail into Grimsby this weekend for fantastic Grim Falfest
A brand new festival launches this Friday when over 100 Vikings complete with long ships will descend on Grimsby this until Sunday 25th September.
The free, three-day event for families and visitors called GRIM FALFEST kickstarts a year of Viking activities for schools and community groups.
The celebration has been created by the Visitor Economy, Services and Retail team (VESR) of North East Lincolnshire and is delivered in partnership with Heritage Lincolnshire. The project is supported by The National Heritage Lottery Fund who have awarded £250,000 for activities, performance and workshops in schools and the local community throughout the year.
The event will launch at 7pm on Friday with long ships sailing up the waterfront carrying the town’s founder Grim and Prince Havelok, welcomed by Taiko drummers.
At 8:30pm, Grim and his Vikings will head to Riverhead Square for delicious street food and live performances from Ceilidh band until 10pm.
Over the weekend, visitors can explore a Viking camp in Minster Square, meet Grim the Viking, enjoy live music, a Viking market and food in Riverhead Square.
One of the highlights will be a Viking battle in People’s Park and a parade through the town by a host of Vikings. On the waterfront, paddleboarders have the chance to paddle out to a long ship to meet its crew, while another vessel will be on land for visitors to explore.
Julia Thompson, Chair of VESR said, “Grim the Viking is back! We’re delighted that The National Heritage Lottery Fund are supporting this brand new celebration of our town’s Viking heritage and continuing links with Scandinavia. We hope everyone will have fun meeting Grim and his Vikings. ’
Natalie Lunt of Heritage Lincolnshire said: ”This is a great way to bring history to life through re-enactment and hands-on exploration of a Viking village. We hope it will Inspire visitors to take part in the year of activities exploring our Viking heritage. There is a first for Lincolnshire and we’re proud to be delivering this event.”
Emma Lingard, VESR Heritage Officer said, “It’s wonderful to have an event to find out more about Grim, whom Grimsby is named after. For those that don’t know the story of Grim and Havelok, it will be an opportunity to find out about our Viking connections, from language to its culture”
For more information on this weekends exciting events, head to their website: https://www.grimfalfest.com/whats-on
