To all our Viking friends

Halör 2012 - the seventeenth Viking market
in modern time at Foteviken

Now it's once again time for the Fotevikens Viking market. During the Viking Age there was a big summer market at Foteviken which, according to the Faroe saga was the largest in Scandinavia. Our “modern Viking market also attracts lots of Vikings. It will be nice to re-meet old friends but also meet new market participants. You are all very welcome!

As always, we ask you to help us with the practical things if needed. As always, we also take no market fee. Note that this only applies if you have registered not later than the 13 June. After this time, we charge a fee of 200 SEK / person. In addition, you may wait until the registered Vikings have got there food at the party at Saturday and during breakfast on Saturday / Sunday. Furthermore, we can not guarantee your food at these times.

Remember that Fotevikens Museum this year also will start a new tradition. We are ending our summer season with a large, international medieval market on 7-9 September. Unlike the Viking market is not just about the time period 700-1100 AD; the medieval market will span a larger period of time: 900 - 1500 e.Kr. More information about the Medieval market will follow.

The program:
 

PRE MARKET

Thursday June 28

10am The Viking town of Foteviken opens for the public.

4pm The Viking town of Foteviken closes for the public.

8.20pm The Viking ceremony for our dead friends at Hola Stones (if the weather is supposed to be good at Friday evening we change this ceremony to Friday evening).

VIKING MARKET

Friday June 29
10am The Viking market opens for the public. King Bjorn and his men open the market officially from the north defense tower.

1pm The tug-of-war. Vikings will challenge the visitors.

2pm Tossing the caber. Viking will challenge the visitors.

4pm The Viking market closes for the public.

8.20pm The Viking ceremony for our dead friends at Hola Stones. The ceremony start from the north defense tower. (If the weather is supposed to be bad at Friday evening we change this ceremony to Thursday evening).

VIKING MARKET

Saturday June 30
8-9.00am Breakfast for Vikings.

10am The Viking market opens for the public.

0.10pm The traditional water competition: “The Viking Rush”. Open for all Vikings and visitors. The winner will bee rewarded at the big Viking feast in the evening.

1.pm The fish throwing competitions. Vikings will challenge Vikings and the visitors.

1.30pm The tug-of-war. Vikings will challenge Vikings and the visitors.

1.30pm Tossing the caber. Viking will challenge Vikings and the visitors.

2pm Viking fighting.

3pm The bow competition “King Harolds Arrow”.

4pm Viking fighting.

6pm The Viking market closes for the public.

7pm The big Viking feast of Halör starts. (Only for Vikings who have registered).

VIKING MARKET

Sunday July 1

8-9.00am Breakfast for Vikings.

10am The Viking market opens for the public.

12.00am The tug-of-war. Vikings will challenge Vikings and the visitors.

0.30pm Tossing the caber. Viking will challenge Vikings and the visitors.

1pm and 3 pm Viking fighting.

4pm The Viking market closes for the public.

(N.B. Changes may occur in this program)

Some detailed information

The traditional Shield Hanging ceremony

In previous years we have had the tradition that Viking groups who wanted their shield to be placed permanent in our big hall “Tinghöll” handed over these in a special ceremony. If someone wants to hand over a shield this year the ceremony will take place during the big party on Saturday night.

The big Viking feast at Saturday evning

If the weather is good we will have this big party outside the entrance building. Here we have a beautiful view over the bay of Höllviken. As usual we hope for good international Viking entertainment when we are drinking and eating. Note! To participate in the party, you must have signed up on the registration form for the market

When you arrive

Notice that we will not have a public parking inside the museum area. Only you who during the visit live in a camper, trailer etc are permitted to park here (before parking you must notify the Market Secretariat and get a sign which shall be put up in the car window). All other Vikings shall park at the special Viking parking close to the riding school only a few hundred meters from the museum area, see “the special Parking map”.

NOTE: If you come late at night you can sleep in the common dormitory in Freja's hall near the museum parking. Be careful not to disturb those who already are there when you arrive. (The entrance door is to the left of the entrance to the old guild hall of Valhalla.)

About the Market place

An increasing number of local Vikings now have got their own plots inside the town wall.

This means there is less space for visiting Vikings inside the town itself. As many of you know there is however much room for Viking tents outside the town wall.

As in last year we have marked the whole tent area. This makes it easier for us to organize the sites which may be assigned to your tent/tents. Note that Bjorn has to participate and accept the place where you put up the tent. Please also note that the Viking area is closed for cars during the night.

About The Market Secretariat / Museum Shop / Restaurant

The Secretariat is located in the main entrance of the museum. Here each of you personally must register your self and get your tickets for the breakfast and for the Viking party at Saturday.

We have a restaurant in direct connection to the Museum entrance and our Museum shop. Here we serve food, wine and beer.
 

Opening hours for The Market Secretariat

When you arrived in Foteviken you must contact the staff so they can show you were to put up your tents. Staff is in place:

Times when you ONLY are allowed to drive cars up in the Viking town for unloading / loading.

Directly after unloading the car must be parked on the Viking parking outside the museum area. Note that you must have made contact with the staff before you set up your tents.