Jorvik Viking festival: Nordic hordes return to York

The event includes banquets, battles and workshops, officials said

Thousands of people are expected to converge on York as Europe's largest Viking festival returns to the city.

The city-wide annual celebration of Norse history runs until 18 February.

Organisers said the event included saga-themed storytelling sessions, combat displays and a Viking encampment.

Jay Commins, from the festival, said hundreds of Viking warriors would march through the city "shouting, roaring, and beating their shields".

Previous festivals in York have culminated in a fiery boat-burning

Speaking to BBC Radio York, Mr Commins said the city's Parliament Street would be taken over by the festival with "tents end to end".

Visitors will also be able to see historic re-enactors and craft demonstrations along with Viking wood-turning which involves "a bent branch with a piece of rope attached to a spindle".

Mr Commins said visitors could also see "the only Viking sock", which had been found in the city's Coppergate area.

"It's a unique historic find", he said.

"Who knew that wool from the Viking age would survive underground?"

The festival includes wooden bowls being turned on a Viking lathe, organisers said

Meanwhile, the festival has attracted participants willing to march from Ipswich to York to be involved in the action.

A Viking re-enactment group, known as Odinn's Raven Guard, is walking the 200-mile (321km) trek in aid of charity.

The event sees hundreds of Viking re-enactors parade from York Minster to Coppergate

On the penultimate day of the festival a "spectacular procession of hundreds of Vikings" from warriors to civilians, is due to march through the city.

Mr Commins said a "massive column of Vikings, stretching as far as you can see, shouting, roaring, and beating their shields, really gets your heart pumping."

The festival is funded by York Archaeology, an archaeological and educational charity.

Officials said they had been "really conscious" of the impact of the cost of living crisis.

Mr Commins said: "With families struggling to make ends meet we want to make sure people can still enjoy culture.

"We have got paid for events, but if you've not got pennies in your pocket it doesn't matter, you can still come and immerse yourself in Norse culture."